JAKOA committed to raising vaccination awareness among Orang Asli

KUALA BERANG: The Orang Asli Development Department (JAKOA) will play a bigger role to ensure that the Orang Asli community also participates in the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme, says Deputy Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad.

He said a more aggressive campaign would be conducted by JAKOA to increase awareness among the community about the dangers of COVID-19 and the importance of vaccination to prevent the infection.

"So far, the number of those who have registered for the COVID-19 vaccine is very low.

"JAKOA is committed to raising awareness and moving together to stop the COVID-19 pandemic," he said when visiting the Sungai Berua Orang Asli Village here yesterday.

Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs and Hulu Terengganu MP, Datuk Rosol Wahid, was also present.

Abdul Rahman said based on feedback received, 63,734 Orang Asli people had yet to give their consent for vaccination.

"JAKOA had distributed 79,041 registration forms, and of the total, 15,307 have expressed their consent.

"The (low) number who agreed to receive the vaccine shows that the awareness campaign on the need to get vaccinated among the Orang Asli must be done more aggressively," he said, adding that the ministry would together with JAKOA and other related parties on the matter.

For the record, a total of 3,018 Orang Asli have received the first dose of the vaccine and a total of 1,330 individuals have received the second one.

-- BERNAMA