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OKU Sentral’s COVID-19 drive-through vaccination centre (PPV) in Ara Damansara, Selangor will be able to vaccinate 40,000 persons with disabilities (OKUs) in five months
According to Bernama, the new goal is more than double the initial cumulative target recipients of 13,500 OKUs set by the non-governmental organisation (NGO).
OKU Sentral chairperson Datuk Ras Adiba Radzi said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba has requested the PPV to expand its capacity.
The announcement comes after Adham visited the facility, situated at Sime Darby Plantation’s headquarters, yesterday, 17 June.
“We are pleased to announce that the minister has conveyed to us that he is happy with our ability to follow SOPs (standard operating procedures) as well as our ability to roll out an immunisation programme for the OKU,” Ras Adiba said.
Image via Yusof Mat Isa/Malay Mail
Following the health minister’s request, Ras Adiba announced that the PPV will look into increasing its capacity to 400 people daily
Ras Adiba added that raising the allocation for vaccination at the OKU Sentral drive-through PPV showed the government’s enduring commitment to the OKU community in the country.
This is especially important for those in the community who have been heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Image via Sime Darby Plantation Berhad (Provided to SAYS)
The OKU Sentral drive-through PPV welcomed its first batch of vaccine recipients on 16 June. Since then, it has been able to administer 80 vaccines daily.
Beginning Monday, 21 June, it will increase its capacity to administer vaccines to 160 to 200 people per day for the next five months.
The initiative is spearheaded by the NGO in partnership with Sime Darby Plantation.
The current vaccine recipients come from the registrations received by OKU Sentral.
Among those registrations, 13,500 OKUs will receive their vaccination appointments through the MySejahtera application.
Previously, OKUs and their carers were required to register for the vaccines through an OKU Sentral Google form
However, the Google form has reportedly closed for the current round of vaccinations and will be reopened soon.
This is to accommodate the new target of administering 40,000 vaccines in the next five months of the programme.
According to an official joint statement by OKU Sentral and Sime Darby Plantation, the five-month long drive-through PPV is financially sponsored by Yayasan Sime Darby.
The Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MOSTI) has also given its support to the initiative.