Kuala Lampur — Netizens are calling for the national vaccination programme to be speeded up by harnessing both public and private healthcare resources.
A petition to the prime minister titled “Mass Vaccination in the Shortest Time Possible” garnered close to 10,000 signatures within 12 hours yesterday and the number is still climbing.
The petition was started by members of a school alumni that I belong to, who are deeply concerned over rising Covid-19 numbers.
We share updates regularly in the chat group, and a media release by the Federation of Private Medical Practitioners’ Association of Malaysia dated May 28, 2021 prompted us to take action.
The FPMPAM had urged the government to enlist private practitioners in the vaccination programme to speed up the roll out. The group decided to support this proposal by starting a petition.
Covid-19 infections and deaths are sky-rocketing, there is no time to waste. Too many lives are being lost. We need to speed up mass free vaccinations to flatten the curve and achieve herd immunity.
Many who signed the petition expressed frustration that the national vaccination programme was going too slowly.
Tan Sin Hock wrote, “I am 68 years old and have registered for vaccination since February 28, 2021 but to date still not able to get the appointment.”
Another signatory Noor Aisah commented, “If other countries can do it, why can’t our country?”
The petition also drew support from private doctors.
Dr C.W. Chang wrote, “As a GP, I have been vaccinating families for 30 years, all at their convenience in their local neighbourhood. Why should Covid vaccination be any different? Because of a monopoly? The need for canggih e-documentation? Supply the vaccines, I will jab my patients at no cost to the government.”
The FPMPAM media release, signed by the federation’s president Dr Steven K.W. Chow, stated: “Speed is the key to overcome the spread of the virus. We need to have more centres for the population to get their vaccine including all Klinik Kesihatan, all hospitals and all GP clinics.
“Patients should be allowed to see the doctor nearest their home, get assessed, vaccinated and then have the information immediately updated into their MySejahtera. It can be as simple as that. We urge the government to do the needful immediately as it is already very late.”
*This is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views ofMalay Mail.