SEPANG: The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry (KPWKM) will assist in facilitating registration of target groups such as senior citizens and people with disabilities (PwD) to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Its Minister, Datuk Seri Rina Mohd Harun said she had raised this in the Cabinet meeting to give vulnerable groups such as senior citizens priority in the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme because they are among the high-risk groups.

"We will help facilitate the registration (of senior citizens and the PwD to be vaccinated) because it is important that all (target groups) be vaccinated so that we can return to life as usual," she told the media after visiting Pusat Jagaan dan Rawatan Orang Tua Al-Ikhlas, here, today.

Rina said a total of 68,003 KPWKM target groups comprising 48,564 senior citizens and 19,439 registered PwD will be vaccinated in the second phase of the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme, which is expected to begin in April.

She also hoped that senior citizens and PwD living in private care centres and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) would also be given priority in the second phase of the COVID-19 immunisation programme.

According to her, there are 576 care centres for the elderly and the PwD under the control of the private sector and NGOs, registered with the Social Welfare Department, with a population of 15,818 people and managed by 3,238 caregivers.

-- BERNAMA