JOHOR BAHRU: The Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) is planning to add another 19 Vaccination Centres for Institutions of Higher Learning (IPT PPV) in an effort to help the country achieve herd immunity as soon as possible.

Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad said currently a total of 26 IPT PPVs are operating nationwide and the additional ones would bring the total number to 45.

"MOHE will continue to be committed to assisting the National Recovery Plan in phasing out and as exit strategy from the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.

"Currently, the IPT PPVs that have been operating have a capacity of giving 25,400 doses of vaccine a day and until June 21, a total of 200,016 people have received the vaccine," she said in a statement here today.

According to the statement, Noraini also received a visit from the Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah at the Mobile PPV pilot programme of Tuanku Muhriz Chancellor's Hospital (HCTM) near Batu Pahat, today.

Noraini said the PPV, which started operating two weeks ago played a role in providing wider access to vaccinations for the rural community.

"Apart from HCTM, yesterday IPT PPV Unimas created a record of administering 5,584 vaccine shots a day.

"A total of 37,758 recipients have received the vaccine at the PPV since it started operating in the last 10 days," she said.

She said on Monday (June 28) another IPT PPV will be opened at Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) which can handle 3,000 vaccine recipients a day, besides being able to benefit the people, especially in Negeri Sembilan.

-- BERNAMA