IPOH: A 77-year-old man suffering from a tumour on his head that covered part of his eye received his first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine when a medical team reached his house in Bercham here.

       Thanks to the initiative by Perak MCA, Chai Cheong and his 71-year-old wife Lai Ah Nooi, who suffers from asthma, received their vaccinations on Tuesday. (July 13)

       Bercham Zone 11 Residents’ Representative Committee (RRC) chairman Cheng Ming Tat said the couple staying in Taman Desa Kencana had not registered for the vaccination via MySejahtera.

       He said while MCA’s Ipoh City Councillor Albert Ho Wai Mun was at the area handing out essential items to those who had hoisted white flags, he came across the case of Chai and his wife after someone had posted it on Facebook.

       Cheng, who is also Ho’s assistant, said Chai had been suffering with the tumour for the past 13 years and effected eyesight. He also suffered from high blood pressure and cholesterol.

       “Due to the weight of the tumour, his movement is also limited, and he sometimes has issues of memory loss.

       “His wife is asthmatic and suffers from high blood pressure, diabetes, and knee problems and is not able to walk or stand for too long. To earn a living, Lai was a seamstress, but had to stop sewing clothes after suffering from arthritis, ” he said.

       Cheng said their only son, a computer technician, works hard to cover the cost of his parents’ daily necessities and medical expenses but was only able to care for them on weekends.

       Ho said despite Chai not hoisting a white flag, the team had presented a food basket to him as well.

       “I had asked them whether they had registered for their vaccination, and they told me no due to their health problems.

       “So we registered them, and informed the state Health Department’s outreach team about their situation, and they agreed to come to their house to vaccinate them, ” he added,

       He said while the RRC and MCA team were helping the community to register for vaccination, they had also come across a couple that had missed their appointment.

       He said Yea Soon Bah, 75, suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes, as well as prostate illness, stayed with his 65-year-old wife Wang Ah Boon, who is bed-ridden.

       “The wife has kidney disease, heart problems, as well as suffers from high blood pressure and diabetes.

       “The couple were unable to go to the vaccination centre, and they were really relieved when the team arrived at their doorstep to vaccinate them, ” he added.