Desperate Semporna residents throng PPV daily in hopes of getting vaccine
Desperate residents in the eastern Sabahan town of Semporna are crowding the community vaccination centre, forming large queues to get their Covid-19 vaccines, with many being turned away and having to return another day.
According to Sekolah Alternatif founder Mukmin Nantang, lack of social distancing measures and overcrowding are persistent problems at the Semporna Community Hall Vaccination Centre (PPV) as many are beginning to queue as early as midnight the day before, despite the PPV doors only opening at 8am.
During the day, many others are seen...
Desperate residents in the eastern Sabahan town of Semporna are crowding the community vaccination centre, forming large queues to get their Covid-19 vaccines, with many being turned away and having to return another day.
According to Sekolah Alternatif founder Mukmin Nantang, lack of social distancing measures and overcrowding are persistent problems at the Semporna Community Hall Vaccination Centre (PPV).
Many of the residents, he said, are beginning to queue as early as midnight the day before, despite the PPV doors only opening at 8am.
During the day, many others are seen flocking the PPV in hopes of getting into the queue.
Mukmin was bringing 12 of his students to get their vaccine when he encountered desperate crowds thronging the hall.
Taking to Facebook, Mukmin questioned the lack of PPVs for the residents of Semporna.
“Why are there no PPVs open in the village areas? Every day there are thousands of people lining up and being turned away. They then (come back the next day) to try their luck.
“Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, I hope there is a more progressive effort. Other NGOs and I are willing to help,” he said.
Sekolah Alternatif is an institution founded by Mukmin and his friends Achmad Fatkur Raziq to teach basic education to stateless children in Kampung Air, Semporna.
Semporna is a coastal town in the Tawau District of Eastern Sabah with a large Bajau population.
Due to their nomadic nature, many are not citizens, despite having lived in the area for many decades.
Apart from writing and mathematics, the children learn basic skills such as commerce, agriculture, sewing and cooking, among others.
Mukmin said he managed to get the vaccines administered for all 12 students by 12pm today, but there remains a large crowd at the PPV.
Trying their luck
A resident claimed that she had attempted to get a vaccine since Sept 13 but had yet to receive her jab.
“I came at 4am today and finally managed to get a seat.
“I don’t know if I am able to go in. I’m just trying my luck,” she said.
She added that she needed the vaccine as she is unable to work to earn money for her family of seven without it.
Another said that she had been queueing at the PPV centre since 2am for the sake of her two children.
Citing her own vaccination experience at the PPV, she said she previously got her vaccine after a 15 hour-and-a-half wait, adding that she slept at the centre in the meantime.
“I queued from 2am and only got my vaccine at 5.30pm,” she said.
She claimed that priority was given to school students and those with ICs and passports.
Meanwhile, a resident who had made four previous attempts at obtaining a vaccine finally managed to get a seat at the PPV today.
“I arrived at 2am and there were already so many people here.
“I managed to get a seat at the back. I think the people who are at the front of the line have been here since midnight.
“Yesterday, I came at 5am and the line was already too long. But I usually wait until noon, if I don’t get anything then I will go home,” she said.
Malaysiakini has contacted the Health Ministry over this issue and an official said that they will look into the matter.
Earlier this month, Khairy announced that the Health Ministry will intensify its Covid-19 operations and vaccination drives in five states, including Sabah.
State health director Dr Rose Nani Mudin said Sabah has received 26,000 out of 180,000 single-dose CanSino vaccines destined to be administered to the islanders in Semporna.
As of yesterday, Sabah remains the state with the lowest vaccination rates, at 54.4 percent, according to data from the Special Committee on Ensuring Access to Covid-19 Vaccine Supply (JKJAV).
However, daily vaccination rates are picking up, with Sabah seeing the highest rate last Saturday at 35,927 first doses administered.
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