KBMC first private hospital in Kelantan to administer COVID-19 vaccine in Kelantan

KOTA BHARU: The Kota Bharu Medical Centre (KBMC) has been selected as the first private hospital vaccination centre in Kelantan under the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme.

Its general manager Mohd Nazri Yaacob said KBMC officially started dispensing the vaccine for recipients under the second phase of the immunisation programme on May 31 at the Balai Islam Complex, Lundang here.

"The vaccination centre operates from 8.30 am until 4.30 pm and could inoculate an average of 400 individuals per day.

"So far, we have inoculated almost 3,000 individuals comprising senior citizens, persons with disabilities and high-risk group," he told Bernama when met at the vaccination centre here, today.

He said the state Islamic Religious Affairs Department has offered KBMC to conduct the vaccination process at the complex free of charge in order to reduce congestion at the hospital.

On May 27, the Kelantan State Health Department said a total of eight private clinics and one private hospital have been allowed by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to carry out vaccination against COVID-19 in the state.

Mohd Nazri said KBMC also hired five locum doctors to facilitate the operation at the hospital, while 35 staff were placed at the vaccination centre comprising 20 health personnel and 15 volunteers.

On the vaccination process, he said the centre would contact every vaccine recipients a day before their appointments and for those who could not come, the centre would replace them with other recipients on the waiting list.

Mohd Nazri said KBMC was honoured to be entrusted by the MOH to shoulder the responsibility in the effort to speed up the vaccination process in the state.

-- BERNAMA