KUALA LUMPUR, June 21 — Sunway Healthcare Group’s flagship hospital Sunway Medical Centre has been appointed as the Health Care Organiser by ProtectHealth Corporation Sdn Bhd to carry out public vaccinations at Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre (SPCC), which is the first private large-scale offered rent-free to accelerate vaccinations in Selangor.
With this appointment by ProtectHealth, Sunway Medical Centre will assume the role of clinical management at the SPCC vaccination centre, which has been performed by Pejabat Kesihatan Daerah (PKD) Petaling since the centre opened its doors for vaccinations on March 10 this year.
Fully-trained health care professionals, including medical doctors and nurses from the Sunway Healthcare Group of hospitals and health services, are mobilised and are working alongside the Selangor Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) to manage the SPCC vaccination centre.
Sunway Medical Centre now manages two public vaccination centres for the Petaling district, along with the hospital’s SunMed Convention Centre, which was repurposed as a vaccination centre for its frontline workers in March 2021, and subsequently appointed by ProtectHealth as a Pusat Pemberian Vaksin Hospital Swasta (PPVHS) during Phase Two of the programme rollout since May 31.
Combined doses administered at SunMed Convention Centre and Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre will reach 3,000 doses daily, with plans to increase capacity to gradually reach up to 5,000 doses.
”Sunway Medical Centre greatly appreciates the incredible contribution from PKD Petaling district, from the inception of the mega vaccination centre in SPCC to vaccinating over 76,000 of the population in Selangor,” said Lau Beng Long, managing director of Sunway Healthcare Group.
Lau extended his appreciation to the Ministry of Health (MOH) and all its frontline workers for their tireless efforts in combating the Covid-19 pandemic since March 2020.
Sunway Medical Centre continuously strives to respond swiftly to the country’s initiatives towards herd immunity.
By committing resources from private health care entities to vaccination centres, it believes that this can help the public health system to continue its battle against Covid-19.
“We are in this together to support the country towards a successful national immunisation programme. The partnership with Sunway to set up and roll out this first large-scale vaccination centre in the Petaling district in March 2021 was a great team achievement. Our target is to vaccinate 1.6 million people in the Petaling district. We believe that Sunway Medical Centre is able to continue getting more vaccinations done for the community during this pivotal time,” said Dr Mohd Paid Yusof, health officer at PKD Petaling.
“We are honoured to be able to support ProtectHealth by continuing to provide Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre for this immunisation programme. ProtectHealth has done a great job in strengthening public and private partnership in a short period of time. While the Ministry of Health continues to tackle the pandemic, private institutions like Sunway can lend their hand in expediting the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme,” said HC Chan, CEO of Sunway Malls and Theme Parks.
“The participation of the private sector is critical to ensure that everyone works together to increase vaccination capacity nationwide in the implementation of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme. ProtectHealth greatly appreciates Sunway Medical Centre stepping up as the Health Care Organiser for the SPCC vaccination centre in helping to accelerate efforts towards achieving herd immunity,” said ProtectHealth CEO Dr Anas Alam Faizli.
ProtectHealth, a not-for-profit company and wholly-owned subsidiary established under the MOH, coordinates, administers and manages initiatives related to financing health care services. It is also the implementer of private medical practitioner participation in the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, as mandated by MOH.
Sunway has committed more than RM50 million since March 2020 to help the country battle the Covid-19 pandemic, and provided its convention centre rent-free last month for 11 months to support the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK).
This has set the group back RM28 million in actual costs, including cleaning and sanitisation costs, as well as opportunity costs resulting from cancellation of prior bookings, and a range of vaccination incentives in support of this national initiative.
The vaccination incentives contributed by various Sunway business divisions and Sunway Pyramid retailers include free parking, vouchers and freebies worth some RM20 million for those coming to get vaccinated in the next 10 months.
For the benefit of those getting vaccinated at SPCC, Sunway has set up a one-stop information hub here. The website shares useful tips such as identifying provided free parking areas, suitable attire to wear, and assistance for the wheelchair-bound.
