KUALA NERUS: Three siblings with chronic illnesses are relieved to have fulfilled their hope of getting the Covid-19 vaccination with the help of staff from Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA).

       Eight staff from the UniSZA vaccination centre (PPV) arrived at the family’s house in Kampung Teluk Pasu to give the first dose of the vaccine to the three siblings – Zaleha Awang, 62, Rozelan, 54, and Yusof, 44.Rozelan, who suffers from a chronic stroke, has been bedridden for the past nine months.

       Zaleha, who suffers from chronic diabetes, has had her left leg amputated and finds it difficult to move about. Yusof is also undergoing treatment for diabetes.

       When met by reporters, Yusof said he was grateful that the siblings had received the attention they needed.

       “The three of us registered through the MySejahtera app. We registered our 78-year-old mother too.

       “But when we got the vaccination date at UniSZA, we had to decline because we had no transport.

       “Asking for help from relatives or friends was quite difficult due to our medical conditions,” he said.

       Yusof said not long after they declined the appointment, an official from the UniSZA PPV called and asked why they had rejected the appointment.

       “After informing them about our constraints, the official told us that they would come to our house to give us the jabs,” he said.

       Apart from their mother, Yusof’s other sister Shani Awang, 50, and cousin Najihah Awang, 27, also received their first dose during the visit yesterday.

       UniSZA PPV Integration Data Team head and coordinator Norkhairani Abdul Rani said they would do what they could to help who could not go to the PPV.

       “The three siblings are chronic patients while their mother is a senior citizen, so it is important for us to help them,” she said. — Bernama