IJN ready to open more mobile PPV in remote areas

MUAR, June 19 -- The National Heart Institute (IJN) is prepared to open more mobile vaccination centres (PPV) nationwide, specially in remote areas, if requested by Ministry of Health (MOH) and Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (MOSTI).

Its chief executive officer Datuk Dr Aizai Azan Abdul Rahim said the effort would involve the opening of at least one mobile PPV in every state.

“For IJN,  we focus on the opening of mobile PPV in remote areas to achieve the targeted herd immunity.

“Here (Felcra Bukit Kepong) for instance, we will administer (vaccine) jab to 1,500 senior citizens for three days starting today,” he told reporters during the launching of the first IJN mobile PPV in Johor at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Felcra Bukit Kepong, here, today. 

Present were Bukit Kepong assemblyman Datuk Dr Sahruddin Jamal and Muar health officer Dr Noorhaidah Ujang.

Meanwhile, Dr Sahruddin described the mobile PPV implementation as convenient and timely as the Felcra scheme is quite far from Muar and Pagoh, with each having its own PPV.

A vaccine recipient, Sapartinem Selim, 62, said she was happy when her location for vaccination was moved from Muar to the mobile PPV at the school.

“Without this mobile PPV I might not have gone to Muar for the vaccine as it is too far besides not having the transport to go there,” she said.

Prior to that, a Bernama check at the mobile PPV found members of the public gave encouraging response to the service, with some arriving as early as 7.45 am to get their shots.

As of 2 pm, a total of 250 recipients from the senior citizen group had received their vaccine jabs.

-- BERNAMA