Residents of remote Kampung Kuala Wau excited to see vaccine buses arriving

By Siti Salwa Shaari

MARAN, July 14  -- After 53 years of living in Kampung Kuala Wau, Saora Manap was today excited to see for the first time, an express bus arriving in her village, which is among the most interior in Maran district.

Saora, 70, and the other villagers were all the happiest to see at once, the presence of three buses which made the journey for almost two hours from Maran town and carrying the long-awaited COVID-19 vaccine.

"We really want the vaccine, what more with the number of positive cases rising….each morning I would ask one of my children to check with MySejahtera if I have received the (vaccination appointment) date and almost each day, I would ask myself to be patient. 

"Alhamdulillah (praise be to Allah), eventually the vaccine arrived and I am so happy that I need not go far (to get it). It’s just a few minutes away from my house," she said when met at the COVID-19 Mobile Outreach Vaccination (MOVAC) Programme at the grounds of the Kuala Wau Health Clinic today.

The initiative by the Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT) and National Unity Ministry was the first in Pahang and which was attended by KPKT Deputy Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Ismail Abd Muttalib, who is also the Member of  Parliament for Maran. 

At today’s programme, 350 residents of Kampung Kuala Wau and nearby areas received the first dose of the Sinovac vaccine.

Delivery company driver, Muhammad Aslam Amran, 27, said the vaccination opportunity was fully made use of together with six family members of his in-laws for protection against the viral disease, considering his father-in-law being at high risk health-wise as he had a stroke.

"He is aged 70 and bed-ridden for a long time, besides having to eat through a tube. His children who live far away are also afraid to come visiting as they fear of bringing the virus. In fact, I too have to be very careful as I always meet people due to my work. 

"I am also worried about my two-year-old child and don’t want anything untoward happening to my child and father-in-law. It’s horrifying to think of having to take them to the hospital or quarantine centre. Hence, I had asked for a day off to get vaccinated here today,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Ismail said the MOVAC programme in Maran involving the administering of 950 doses of the vaccine would go on for three days from today and to be extended to other districts in Pahang with priority given to the interior areas, Orang Asli settlements, Felda schemes and localities with a high number of COVID-19 positive cases.

He hoped that more express bus operators and associations would participate in the MOVAC programme to speed up the vaccination effort in order to achieve herd immunity, hence enabling the various sectors including transportation to operate as usual.

"Using buses can speed up the process as three vaccination stations can be set up in one bus. The turnout of vaccine recipients is also good as they don’t have to go far to get vaccinated while the process takes a short time,” he said.

Meanwhile, Pertubuhan Muafakat Pengusaha dan Pemandu Bas Johor chairman, R.Thiagarajan said the organisation had sent out two buses including a double-decker for the MOVAC programme in Pahang and was willing to provide more assistance if needed.

He said the team left Johor last Sunday with the buses modified such as removing the passenger seats to provide space for the vaccination stations and providing a ramp for the benefit of wheelchair-bound vaccine recipients.

"This is the assistance we could offer while the buses have not been moving for long. Since three weeks ago, we have been looking for an opportunity to together help speed up the vaccination exercise to free the country from COVID-19 and we could work as usual,” he added.

-- BERNAMA