SANDAKAN: Some 1,690 children aged five to 11 here have been vaccinated through the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme for Children (PICKids) since it was implemented two weeks ago.
Sandakan Area Health Officer Dr Johari Awang Besar (pic) said the number is equivalent to 3.61 per cent of 46,800 such children in the district.
He said adults who have received the booster dose numbered 51,116, which is equivalent to 14 per cent of the total of 363,100. “We are targeting to achieve 100 per cent for PICKids and the booster dose although it is not mandatory,” he said at the opening of the IJM Land Showroom Vaccination Centre (PPV) at Mile 6, here, Saturday.
Also present was IJM Properties Sdn Bhd Property Development Assistant General Manager Steven Goh.
The PPV is also one of IJM’s corporate social responsibilities in assisting the Ministry of Health, namely the Sandakan Area Health Office, to provide vaccination jabs to the public in Sandakan.
Last year, IJM also assisted in the implementation of the vaccination in a joint effort to achieve group immunity.
Johari said since the PPV closed last year, there was a need to reopen the public PPV so that there are alternative options for the public to come, apart from the Health Clinic and Community Clinic, as well as mobile vaccination units.
At PPV Showroom IJM Land, a total of 600 doses are provided daily, namely Pfizer for PICKids and Sinovac for booster doses.
Johari said the opening of the IJM PPV was well received, adding two primary school PPVs - at SK Merpati and SJKC Syn Hua – were also opened on Saturday.
Meanwhile, more than 30 PPVs in other primary schools in the district will be opened on weekends according to the schedule.
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