KUANTAN, July 19 — The vaccination centre (PPV) at the Sultan Ahmad Shah Medical Centre, International Islamic University Malaysia (SASMEC @IIUM) here has started operations today and is able to administer 200 doses of Covid-19 vaccine per hour.
SASMEC @IIUM director Prof Datuk Dr Mohamed Saufi Awang said the PPV was managed by 300 IIUM members, including 180 students as volunteers, to ensure the vaccination process scheduled to take place until October or November would run smoothly.
The first higher education institution (IPT) PPV in Pahang is open from Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, and aims to inoculate 1,000 individuals registered as vaccine recipients in the MySejahtera application.
“We provide 15 stations that could dispense a total of 200 vaccine shots per hour, as well other facilities for senior citizens and persons with disabilities, such as buggy service at the parking lot and wheelchairs.
“We hope this effort could assist the government in achieving the herd immunity target before the monsoon season which usually occurs in December,” he said in a news conference at the PPV today.
Dr Mohamed Saufi said prior to this, SASMEC @IIUM was also involved in administering the Covid-19 vaccine to frontliners of hospitals and universities and those listed by the Health Ministry, comprising 4,050 recipients, since early this year.
Meanwhile, the PPV chief coordinator Prof Madya Dr Razman Mohd Rus, who is also the IIUM Kuantan Campus deputy director, said the vaccination process was expected to take less than half an hour for those who are healthy, while recipients in the high-risk category have to undergo the monitoring process for 30 minutes.
“We also provide waiting areas at suitable locations to avoid congestion at the registration area and will remind vaccine recipients to come at the appointed time in the MySejahtera application to maintain physical distance at the PPV,” he said.
IIUM’s fourth year Bachelor of Medicine student Mohamad Azhan Awang, 24, said he decided to volunteer because he did not return to his hometown in Pasir Puteh, Kelantan due to fears that internet coverage problems would make it difficult for him to attend online lectures.
“I have also undergone five simulation processes before the PPV starts operating, including the possibility of unforeseen events such as fire, that have made me confident to become a volunteer,” he said.
An usherette, Nabilah Mohd Azman, 24, described her duty as an opportunity to gain experience during the pandemic situation.
As a precautionary measure, Nabilah, who hails from Taiping, Perak said all volunteers must adhere to safety procedures including wearing two layers of face masks, a face shield and a waterproof apron while on duty. — Bernama
