Fatimah (left) looks on as a health frontliner administers vaccine on an OKU recipient at the drive-thru vaccination station in Normah Medical Specialists Centre in Kuching.
MIRI (June 27): The Welfare Department has been working with Miri Health Office and also Malaysia Games (Sukma) Paralympic physiotherapist and volunteer, Dominica Ado, in gathering individual with special needs (OKUs) to have their Covid-19 vaccination.
Since the programme’s kick-off less than a week ago, a total of 160 OKUs here have received their first dose of the vaccine.
According to Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah, this special programme is being carried out to ensure that all OKUs, including those not registered with the Welfare Department, would undergo vaccination.
“The names of the OKUs were obtained from individuals, Special Education classes as well as OKU sports associations and non-government organisations (NGOs).
“The programme is being carried out in full compliance with the SOP (standard operating procedures).
“At Normah Medical Specialists Centre (in Kuching), they run a drive-thru concept slated for the OKUs including the blind, deaf and autistic individuals, and also those with Down’s syndrome, spinal cord injury, and intellect and physical disabilities.
“This collaboration is meant to enable the OKUs receive their vaccines much earlier,” she told thesundaypost here.
Fatimah said the programme in Kuching commenced on June 19, and being run in collaboration with Normal Medical Specialists Centre.
So far, a total of 340 OKUs had received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine under the programme in Kuching, said the minister.
Separately, Fatimah called upon heads of associations, coordinators of NGOs involving the OKUs as well as the village security and development committees (JKKKs) to inform the ministry about any OKU within their communities who had yet to be registered with the Welfare Department or receive Covid-19 vaccines.
“This is to ensure that no OKU, including those not registered with the Welfare Department, would miss out on receiving their Covid-19 vaccines.
“In Sibu, a total of 750 OKUs and their guardians have received vaccines at the Agape Centre Sibu, under the programme jointly conducted with Sibu Health Office and Sibu Hospital.
“For other divisions and districts, the Welfare Department has been requested to conduct active tracing of OKUs yet to be vaccinated, with help from the local JKKKs who would forward the name-lists to their respective District Offices,” added Fatimah.