Fatimah (left) presents a mock cheque to chairman of Miri Drug Rehabilitation Committee Yusree Zainuzzaman as Lee and others look on.
MIRI (Aug 9): Thirty-six out of 96 homeless people statewide have received the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine under the vaccination programme for the homeless in Sarawak, says Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah.
From the 36, Miri recorded 16 people, the highest number of homeless people in the state to have received the jab.
“Six are in Kuching, Samarahan (one), Serian (three), Betong (one), Sarikei (seven) and Kapit (two),” she told a press conference here yesterday after visiting a temporary centre for the homeless at Pujut Tanjong Batu multi-purpose hall.
Fatimah said the homeless people at the centre would stay there for 21 days until they had completed their second dose and another three days for observation.
The programme, a joint effort between various departments including Resident office, local councils, police, Immigration, National Registration Department (NRD), Welfare Department, Health Department and National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK), will also see other programmes being carried out for the homeless while they are staying at the centre.
Among others, Fatimah said the AADK would conduct talks on drugs as a few of them were found to be drug abusers.
“The NRD on the other hand, will assist those who are without any personal documents,” she said.
On another note, Fatimah revealed that as of Aug 5, 12,978 individuals with special needs (PwDs) statewide had received their first dose of Covid-19 vaccine, while 8,442 had completed their second dose.
As for babysitters, educators and their assistants, she said 9,938 out of 10,133 of them statewide had been vaccinated as of Aug 5.
“For kindergartens, 5,248 (98 per cent) out of 5,377 educators and babysitters have received their first dose, while 3,277 (61 per cent) have completed their second dose.
“As for Taska, 790 (98 per cent) out of 803 educators and babysitters have received their first dose, while 547 (68 per cent) have completed their second dose.
For assistant educators at kindergartens, Fatimah said 3,747 (99 per cent) out of 3,797 had been inoculated with the first dose, while 2,094 (55 per cent) have had their second dose.
For Taska, 153 (98 per cent) out of 156 assistant educators had received their first dose, while 89 (57 per cent) had completed their second dose.
“The percentage of babysitters, educators and their assistants who have been vaccinated is very high. We want parents to be confident when sending their children to kindergartens or taska,” she said.
Meanwhile, for the senior citizens, Fatimah said 339,880 had received their first dose as of Aug 5 while 303,206 had completed their second dose.
“Sarawak is on the right track to achieve herd immunity by end of this month (August),” she said.
Transport Minister Datuk Lee Kim Shin, Assistant Minister of Women, Family and Childhood Development Datuk Rosey Yunus, Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Sebastian Ting and Welfare Dept director Noriah Ahmad were among those present ast yesterday’s event.
At the same function, Fatimah gave Miri Drug Rehabilitation Committee a RM30,000-grant to carry out its activities.