PM: NIP HAS PICKED UP PACE
Muhyiddin expects vaccination rate to increase to between 300,000 and 400,000 daily
THE high number of vaccine doses administered daily is proof that the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme launched on Feb 24 is proceeding smoothly, said Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
“Alhamdulillah, vaccination has picked up pace. Yesterday (Thursday), more than 156,000 people (received their jabs) and it will increase to between 200,000 and 250,000 in July and hit 300,000 to 400,000 daily.
“This proves that the immunisation programme is going well and it is important for more people to register with the MySejahtera application (for vaccination). There is nothing to worry or fear because it is proven that with vaccine, we will have protection against Covid-19 or antibodies to keep us safe.”
Muhyiddin said this after visiting Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Specialist Children’s Hospital (HPKK UKM) and inspecting the drive-through vaccination centre at Canselor Tuanku Muhriz Hospital here yesterday.
Present were Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba and Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad.
Muhyiddin said the government would ensure that everyone who was eligible would be vaccinated for the country to achieve herd immunity by the end of the year.
“That is why we have increased the number of vaccination centres to 600, and introduced mobile units and drive-through centres to reach out to people in the rural areas so that no one is left behind.
“In areas where there are persons with disabilities, we go to their places. This whole-of-society, whole-of-government approach is to ensure success in our fight against Covid-19.”
On a related matter, Muhyiddin said the enforcement of the Emergency Ordinance to contain the spread of Covid-19 had prevented the healthcare system from collapsing.
He said with the ordinance, the Health Ministry could take over and use government and private hospitals for the purpose of treating Covid-19 patients if necessary.
“From early on, because of the assistance from the government to finance facilities and allocations under the Emergency Ordinance, our healthcare system has remained intact.
“The government’s strategy to take over hospitals is to ensure that problems related to Covid-19 could be managed properly,” he said, citing as an example the takeover of HPKK UKM as a Covid-19 hospital.
HPKK UKM director Professor Dr Syed Zulkifli Syed Zakaria said the hospital was expected to receive Covid-19 patients from Tuesday.
On May 22, Health directorgeneral Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah had said the ministry would use the Emergency Ordinance to take over Cyberjaya Hospital and HPKK UKM to treat Covid-19 patients.
On Jan 12, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah proclaimed a state of emergency, which will remain in force until Aug 1, as a proactive step to curb the pandemic.