Conglomerate defends frontliners at jab centres after negative claims online

A private university group today defended frontline workers at vaccination centres nationwide after a series of claims ranging from empty syringes to delays blamed on staff made the rounds on social media.

“To begin with, most delays stem from recipients who do not follow their appointment slots as stated in their MySejahtera application,” UCSI Group, among the companies which have converted their venues into vaccination centres or PPVs under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, said in a statement.

“Having a sudden influx of recipients at a given time will cause congestion and delays, and this inevitably disrupts the flow of the vaccination process.”

It is understood that a member of the public had recently uploaded a video purportedly showing a nurse injecting him with an empty syringe at a PPV run by UCSI.

The group has denied the claim and lodged a police report, and the video has since been taken down.

UCSI said using phones to capture the vaccination process could distract the medical workers tasked with administering the jabs.

“At UCSI, frontliners inclusive of doctors, nurses, auxiliary police, and volunteers who are UCSI University’s lecturers, administrative and management staff are not only well informed of the procedure of the vaccination process but have also adhered professionally to all guidelines,” it said.

“They work tirelessly, some days up to 12 hours in a stretch, with little rest while fighting fatigue to support the good cause of the national immunisation programme.”

Urging members of the public to follow the SOPs set by the health ministry, it said this would ensure a smooth process from beginning to end.

“Let us do our part to keep each other safe,” it added. “The fight is with Covid-19. Not each other.”