KUALA LUMPUR – No one should be excluded from efforts to attain herd immunity against Covid-19, including non-citizens and the poor.
With this in mind, the Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRCS) is working to help the government intensify and widen the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme to include these groups and others without easy access to vaccination centres.
A first-of-its-kind collaboration between MRCS, the Malaysian Humanitarian Coordination and Action Hub, the Health Ministry’s Family Health Development Division, and Protect Health Corporation Sdn Bhd saw a pilot house call initiative launched on July 16 to ensure bedridden patients and the underprivileged get their jabs.
MRCS chairman Tan Sri Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz Almarhum Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah said the programme is in line with the organisation’s objective of leaving no one behind.
Suhana Sidik, team leader for MRCS’ community vaccination programme, said the outreach initiative will first focus on Selangor, which has 2,136 bedridden patients identified to receive shots.
Under Phase 1, she said, MRCS, together with civil society organisations including Mercy Malaysia, Imam Response & Relief Team and National Cancer Society Malaysia, will send teams to 280 homes with such patients in Hulu Langat.
The Vibes photographer SADIQ ASYRAF captures personnel in action. – The Vibes, August 3, 2021
