LIPIS, Aug 13 — With the Northeast Monsoon season looming in under three months, the Rural Development Ministry (KPLB) is ready to mobilise its assets and facilities to help accelerate COVID-19 vaccination programmes in the east coast states.

Its deputy minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad said it was part of efforts to complete the vaccination exercise in the region as early as possible before the monsoon season begins in November.

“We have many facilities such as small and open halls in the rural areas that are suitable to be used as vaccination centres (PPV), which makes it easier for locals there to have access to the vaccines.

“The Community Development Department (Kemas) will be most effective as they are represented in almost every village, and the staff can be mobilised to help out with the vaccination programmes,” he told Bernama when met at the Dewan Jubli Perak Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah PPV here today.

Besides Kemas facilities, assets belonging to regional development authorities, such as the South Kelantan Development Authority (Kesedar) and the Central Terengganu Development Authority (Ketengah), can also be utilised.

Apart from the east coast states, Abdul Rahman said similar efforts can also be done at states with low vaccination rates such as Sabah, Johor and Kedah.

On today’s programme, Abdul Rahman said some 1,458 Lipis district residents received their COVID-19 vaccinations at three PPVs in Kuala Lipis, Benda and Padang Tengku.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency