Vaccination: Long Pasia villagers set example for rural folks
Published on: Sunday, June 27, 2021
By: Bernama
Credit: Bernama.com
SIPITANG: Despite living deep in the interior of Malingan highlands at an altitude of 1,000 metres above sea level, Kampung Long Pasia residents have set an example for other rural villagers by gaining a good understanding on the importance of getting vaccinated against Covid-19.The lack of infrastructure, including Internet access, was not an obstacle for the local community to be given the right information on the Government’s Covid-19 immunisation programme.
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Kampung Long Pasia Chief Yakub Sim admitted that at first the residents had doubts about the vaccine, especially its side effects, prompting him to go down to the ground to explain the matter.
“The villagers were influenced by false information about the vaccine which was spread by irresponsible people, such as claims that one can die quickly or get seriously ill after the injection, but some village folks and I did our part to dispel this notion.
“Government agencies such as the Ministry of Health (MOH) also provide us assistance so that we really understand the vaccine and can explain to other village folks. Thankfully, many have been informed and taken the vaccine,” he said here, recently.
He was met at the “Jiwa Murni, Army Combat Medic Vaccination Programme”, a joint effort involving the Malaysian armed forces, MOH and Sabah Government to vaccinate 500 residents in the rural village over two days which ended on Friday.
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Kampung Long Pasia, located about 300km from Kota Kinabalu, has about 700 residents, the majority of whom are from the Lundayeh ethnic group and their main economic activities are agriculture and eco-tourism.
Yakub, 64, said although villagers could get information on Covid-19 and vaccines through the Internet, they faced issues such as unstable Internet connection.
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“There is Internet because there is a pole (communication tower) near here but it relies on fuel to keep the generator running. When the fuel runs out, the tower can’t work so the Internet line is disrupted. Fake news that has gone viral on the Internet also doesn’t help, so I try to convince them not to fall for it,” he said.
Elsyana Frederick, 16, said she tried to convince her parents, family and village folks to get vaccinated at the programme after obtaining information about the vaccine and Covid-19.
“I go to school in Pekan Sipitang, and I can get a lot of information on the Covid-19 vaccine there, especially from my teachers, other than from the internet. This vaccine is good, but the villagers have a hard time believing it so we explain and answer their questions. If we aren’t sure, we consult the healthcare staff,” she said.
She said the spirit of protecting the community instilled in her since childhood was what kept her explaining the benefits of the vaccine to her village folks and convincing them that the vaccine can protect them from Covid-19.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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