A PENANG assemblyman has called upon the Health Ministry (MOH) to speed up the vaccination programme for senior citizens, who are at the highest risk of contracting the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
Pulau Tikus assemblyman Chris Lee Chun Kit stated this during a Facebook live session with Association for Residential Care Operators of Malaysia president Delren Terrence Douglas today.
Both also raised their concerns as the country has seen a rapid infection rate among the community.
“Speaking from the perspective of the current situation, we have to take proactive steps to ensure the health of the senior citizens.
“This is not an issue that concerns Penang only but a national issue, as clusters of senior nursing homes were detected recently and even in the past,’’ said Lee.
Lee said the state government is ever ready to help the Federal Government to implement the vaccination programme for the elderly.
“As the state assemblyman, I am willing to set up vaccination centres for the senior citizens. It must take place urgently.
“We urge the MOH to look into this matter and respond promptly,’’ Lee added.
Meanwhile, Douglas shared that he has appealed to the MOH to prioritise the caregivers at the elderly care centres for the vaccination programme.
“We hope that our residents, together with the staff members, would be given the priority to take part in the vaccination as soon as possible.
“Some of the elderly at the homes are inflicted with more than more than one ailment which might cause them to succumb to Covid-19.
“We understand that the health workers are also overwhelmed with the pandemic. Thus, if they (MOH) need manpower to carry out the vaccination programme for the senior citizens, we can assist them with our qualified nurses,’’ Douglas said.
Douglas added that thus far, residents at two nursing homes in the country have been vaccinated.
“Since March last year, we have had 30 clusters involving the senior citizens at care centres, with six of them dying from Covid-19.
“Any emergence of an outbreak in the nursing home would put us all in a dire situation.
“Thus, we hope that the MOH would look into our appeal to speed up the vaccination programme as we do not want to increase the mortality rate among the elders due to the disease,” he said.
Story by Tanushalini Moroter