Elderly ladies finally get vaccinated thanks to UniSZA Special Immunisation Programme

KUALA TERENGGANU, June 26 -- The wishes of two senior ladies, Wan Esah Wan Long, 66, and her mother Semek Mat Zain, 96, to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus finally came true today thanks to the Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA)  'Jejak Vaksin' immunisation programme.

Wan Esah said she was supposed to get vaccinated in early May but failed to show up for her appointment as she had no transport and the vaccination centre at the Terengganu Science and Creativity Centre in Chendering, was located about 25 km away from her home in Kampung Kesom Tok Tukang.

The mother and daughter pair had trouble going anywhere as Wan Esah, who has diabetes, had cataracts in both her eyes and suffered from blurred vision, while her mother, who suffers from hearing problems, has been frail for a long time.

“Yesterday a representative from the Village Community Management Council (MPKK) contacted me and offered to take us both for the vaccination. So, we were thrilled,” she said when met by reporters at the UniSZA Jejak Vaksin programme at Sekolah Kebangsaan Kesom here, today.

They were chauffeured to the vaccination centre at 9.45 am by a representative from MPKK and both of them were given the Sinovac vaccine.

Wan Esah said she did not hesitate to get vaccinated even with fake news being spread around because she wanted the COVID-19 pandemic to be over immediately to enable her to meet her only child, Mohd Asaidi Mamat, 43, and his wife, Hidayati Mohd Zuki, 40, and their five children who live in Johor Bahru.

“My son doesn’t know that I’ve gotten my (vaccine) shot today because I can’t contact him as my vision is blurry. Usually, he is the one who contacts me. He must be happy when he learns about this because, after Hari Raya Aidilfitri, all of them were confirmed COVID-19 positive,” she said.

Meanwhile, Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, who paid a visit to the programme, said 600 residents from nearby areas were targeted to receive their vaccine shots today.

He said the one-day programme was organised by UniSZA in collaboration with the Health Ministry, Ibnu Sina Medical Charity Organisation (PAPISMA) and Persatuan Isteri Wakil Rakyat dan Isteri Bekas Wakil Rakyat Terengganu (Khairunnisa).

“This is a good example of how higher education institutions can work with non-governmental organisations to help get as many Terengganu citizens to be vaccinated,” he said.

Also present were Khairunnisa chairman who is also Ahmad Samsuri’s wife Toh Puan Seri Tuan Faizah Tuan Abu Rahman and UniSZA vice-chancellor Prof Dato Dr Hassan Basri Awang Mat Dahan.

-- BERNAMA