Bedridden Grandma Gets Vaccine After Family Paid For Ambulance

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An 87-year-old bedridden Kuching woman received her first dose of the life-saving Covid-19 vaccine at a local vaccination centre, but it came at a cost.
According to her granddaughter, Larissa Ping, the family paid RM200 to hire the services of Life Care Society Ambulance who helped transport her to the vaccination centre.
“We did all we could. That was our only option,” she said on Twitter, praising the ambulance service’s professional service.
Larissa, who represented Malaysia in the Miss World pageant in 2018, said the service included a nurse to accompany her grandmother on the journey.

She also hopes that for the second dose, vaccinators can visit her grandmother at home, or the government can help pay for the cost of transporting her to the vaccine centre.


The video of healthcare workers transporting her grandmother has received more than 112,000 views on the social media platform.
Dr Jemilah: Contact your local public clinic for help
It also garnered the attention of Dr Jemilah Mahmood, the prime minister’s special adviser on public health.
Jemilah, who also sits on the special committee on access to Covid-19 vaccination (JKJAV), said those who have bedridden family members with vaccination appointments should inform the nearest Klinik Kesihatan.
“We should come to them to provide vaccination,” she said in response to the video.
She added the Health Ministry is partnering with medical NGOs including the Malaysian Red Crescent Society, Mercy Malaysia, Imam Response and Relief Team (Imaret) and the St John’s Ambulances to reach individuals who have difficulty reaching vaccine centres.
She said a link will be added to the national vaccine programme website, soon, for those who are unable to contact their local public clinic.
Most social media users, including Larissa, thanked her for the announcement, but others who faced similar difficulties before were not too pleased.
“When I told (the local public clinic) my mother is bedridden, the response was, ‘Oh if she is bedridden she doesn’t need to be vaccinated. Only her carers need to be vaccinated.’
“This was the response of the nearest Klinik Kesihatan. Her first dose was supposed to be on May 22,” a social media user said.
Others, like International Trade and Industry Minister’s Azmin Ali’s family, responded by offering to sponsor such mobility services to those in need.
“If anyone else in Kuching needs this service, please do not hesitate to DM (direct message) me or comment down below! Happy to sponsor this service for five people that need it,” said the minister’s son, Basheer Azmin.
His mother, Shamsidar Taharin, also chimed in: “I am with you.”

Mobile vaccination units


Yesterday, Malaysiakini reported on a case of a 83-year-old woman, whose carers have had difficulty bringing her to her appointment as it was 300km away from where she lives.
Although her caregivers managed to change the venue to a nearer location, it will still be a challenge for her caregivers as she is not mobile.
“Why make them (the elderly and disabled) come to vaccine centres? Why not the other way round?” her daughter, Rashimah Muslim asked.
In February, the Health Ministry announced the activation of mobile vaccine units to assist the elderly and infirmed, but numbers are limited.
Some district health offices in rural areas, like in Belaga, Sarawak, also travel via four wheel drive vehicles, boats and helicopters to interior villages to ensure equal access to vaccinations for residents there.
Yesterday, minister in charge of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, Khairy Jamaluddin said the ministry is trialing the use of 30 mobile vaccination trucks in the Federal Territories, targeting public housing project (PPR) flats and construction sites. - Mkini

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