By Associate Professor Dr Hazreen Abdul Majid

Misinformation regarding COVID-19 vaccination can occur within the community which includes Orang Asli.

As highlighted by the World Health Organization (WHO), vaccination and other public health initiatives are crucial and among the effective strategies to protect oneself and reduce the infection rates.

The common misinformation about the vaccine including side effects of the vaccine, afraid of possible illnesses or even worse perception towards deteriorating their health.

It appears that the Orang Asli groups are not spared from this misinformation. Thus, it may delay in reaching the herd immunity within the community if these vulnerable groups are left out from being vaccinated.

In addition, the lack of accessibility towards the right information about the vaccine, and the vaccine itself in certain areas requires attention by every stakeholder including the health authorities.

It is interesting to see that because of numerous agencies' efforts to combat this misinformation about vaccination, the public including the Orang Asli are more aware of its importance and are more willing to participate to get their vaccination.

Recently, collaborative efforts by healthcare personnel from Hospital Orang Asli Gombak in collaboration with Universiti Malaya Medical Center (UMMC) staff participated in an Outreach Program in Perkampungan Orang Asli Desa Tamuan.

This program is supported by the Mass Rapid Transportation Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT) which provided two buses to be used as vaccination areas.

About 508 vaccinees, including Orang Asli, non-Orang Asli and non-citizens from the targeted location were successfully vaccinated.

This approach indirectly will scale up the National COVID-19 Immunization Program, allowing more people from vulnerable groups in selected areas to receive their vaccines promptly and accordingly.

In addition, the teamwork within stakeholders in assisting the community and continuous efforts/programs to create more awareness and provide accurate vaccination information has undoubtedly made this program successful.

We are pleased to be a part of the national COVID-19 response and hope that such a program will be replicated by others to assist the Orang Asli communities and other vulnerable groups.

It is not impossible for personnel from universities and teaching hospitals to go beyond their usual routines occasionally as we are in this together to help our community.

(Associate Professor Dr Hazreen Abdul Majid, Head of Center for Population Health, Universiti Malaya and leading for the UMMC Outreach Program, Phase 2 UMMC vaccination team. The Phase 2 UMMC vaccination program is led by Puan Chew Yee Yean, Deputy Director (Professional Services) UMMC and co- chaired by Associate Professor Dr Dr Sharifah Faridah Syed Omar.)