300 rural villagers in Kelantan register for Covid-19 vaccine
PASIR MAS: More than 300 villagers in rural areas here and Rantau Panjang have registered for the Covid-19 vaccination.
The villagers, who are mostly elderly people, agreed to receive the vaccination during a National Immunisation Programme (NIP) campaign carried out by the state Civil Defence Force.
Pasir Mas Civil Defence Force (APM) officer Captain Mohd Arif Mohd Zain said the figure was recorded between March 14 and yesterday.
He added that about 30 members of the force took part in the campaign, which aimed to help communities register for the vaccination.
“Our members have been going from one rural area to another to help villagers, especially old folks, to register for the vaccination.
“Since Sunday, a majority of the people they met did not have smartphones while others had a limited knowledge of how to use the MySejahtera app.
“Therefore, they were asked to help these people register their names either via the app or manually,” he said.
Apart from helping the rural people register, Arif said Civil Defence Force members would also explain to them the importance of getting the Covid-19 injection.
Meanwhile, several old people praised the government for directing volunteers to help them with the registration.
Odd-job worker Mat Yusuf Che Lah, 80, said he had yet to register for the vaccination because all his four children were living outside of Kelantan.
“I would like to thank APM for visiting me and other villagers and helping us with the registration,” said Mat Yusuf at Kampung Banggol Manok here.
Another villager, Adam Mat Rashid, 50, said he was relieved that he managed to register to receive the vaccine.
“I am suffering from asthma and am not sure whether I can receive the vaccine or not. However, I do not mind giving my name to the APM personnel as I believe the vaccine is important for old people like me,” said the father of nine.
It was reported recently that 10,000 members and volunteers from the Civil Defence Force would be mobilised to help in the NIP.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Special Functions) Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan
Md Yusof had said a large group would be deployed to rural areas to help communities register for the vaccination, either via MySejahtera or manually.
The government launched NIP
on Feb 24. Under the first phase, vaccines are being administered for free to frontliners.
The second phase of the NIP, from April until August, will involve senior citizens aged 60 and
above, those with comorbidities as well as the disabled, among others.
The NIP’s third phase from May onwards will be for adults aged 18 and above.