MMA cautions reporting illegal immigrants deters them from getting vaccinated

MMA president Dr Koh Kar Cha said the association was dismayed to hear the Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin say in a press statement that the government requires healthcare workers to notify security forces if undocumented migrants show up at health facilities and vaccination centres (PPVs). – Bernama photo

MIRI (Sept 25): Reporting undocumented migrants to the security forces will only discourage them from getting vaccinated, said the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) is a press statement yesterday.

Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin was recently reported saying that this was among the vaccination standard operating procedures (SOPs) decided by the cabinet for the vaccination programme of undocumented migrants.

“We are dismayed to hear the Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin say in a press statement that the government requires healthcare workers to notify security forces if undocumented migrants show up at health facilities and vaccination centres (PPVs).

“This will definitely create a setback in our efforts to vaccinate everyone in the community,” said MMA president Dr Koh Kar Chai.

Dr Koh Kar Chai

He added that Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin during his tenure as the coordinating Minister of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) mentioned that Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) guidelines have been approved to encourage such individuals to come forward for their Covid-19 vaccination under the principles, ‘No one is safe until everyone is safe’ and ‘No wrong door policy’.

Dr Koh added that the guidelines were implemented whilst taking into consideration the various legislations in force at that time.

He pointed out that those individuals not already registered with MySejahtera were to undergo a process of documentation to enable them to be registered.

“However, the mention that health service providers are to inform security forces about the presence of undocumented migrants at health and vaccination centres will send a wrong message to the undocumented migrants who are yet to be vaccinated.,” he stressed.

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