IPOH: Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Saarani Mohamad is confident the state can achieve herd immunity against Covid-19 by October this year.
Saarani said a total 1,537,985 people have registered to get their vaccination and they are expected to complete both doses by end October this year, subject to vaccine supply.
"To accelerate the Covid-19 National Immunisation Programme (NIP) in Perak, the state government is evaluating the proposal to set up another 12 vaccination centres (PPVs) and upgrade three existing PPVs.
"As of Tuesday, there are 22 PPVs, six drive-through PPVs, 14 mobile outreach, eight special PPVs, one integrated PPV (public and private), one non-governmental organisation (NGO) and one higher learning institution PPV.
"Besides that we also have 15 private hospital PPVs, 150 general practitioner PPVs and eight Public-Private Partnership Industrial Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PIKAS) PPVs with a daily injection capacity between 40,000 and 45,000," he said.
The Kota Tampan assemblyman was replying to a question from Pasir Panjang assemblyman, Yahaya Mat Nor on the state's NIP update at the legislative assembly sitting in Bangunan Perak Darul Ridzuan here, today.
Saarani said based on data from the NIP, as of Tuesday, a total 1,118,358 people or 60.04 per cent had received their first doses while 797,317 people or 42.81 per cent completed their second doses.
"The state is doing its best to complete the vaccination programmes. We have come out with various ways to improve the quality of vaccination service delivery at each PPV.
"Among them, all PPV operations are monitored through a daily reporting system. Each PPV also has a manager and a coordinator to ensure the smooth running of daily operations," he said.
On the slow vaccination rate due to lack of vaccine supplies, Saarani denied it, saying there was no such thing as lack of vaccine supply but merely some delays in the delivery of supplies.
"We have provided enough PPVs in the state and for those who stay in the rural area, we have a mobile outreach programme.
"It is not easy to set up a PPV, we are bound by rules. For each 10km radius in a area, we need at least 8,000 people registered with MySejahtera, then we can open a new PPV," he said in response to a supplementary question by Yahaya.
Saarani said for this month, the state is scheduled to receive up to a million vaccine doses, subject to supply.