KUCHING, May 21: The government is urged to improve the MySejahtera application to make it more ‘Dummy Prove’ after more than 50 per cent of the users failed to turn up for vaccination following their appointments through the application.
Special assistant to Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen, Julian Tan, in a press statement today, said coordinating minister for the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (JKJAV) Khairy Jamaluddin revealed that out of the 31,776 who got their appointments via MySejahtera up until early April, more than 50 per cent (18,215) failed to respond.
“It is not a coincidence that many missed the vaccination appointments due to failure to respond in the MySejahtera. They are likely elderly and those with comorbidity, underlying diseases, those with disabilities (OKUs), who are part of the high-risk groups that, if infected, will likely develop more severe symptoms or even face death due to Covid-19.
“The MySejahtera apps should be able to cater to all regardless of their level of knowledge in technology. As long as one can click into the apps (first click), they should know important messages are waiting for them. That’s how we define it as “user-friendly apps”,” he said.
Tan noted the application should incorporate the ‘hard to miss’ urgent notification alert into the first ‘check-in’ screen.
At this moment, he explained, users will need to ‘close’ the ‘check-in screen’ before they can reach the menu section and further click to check their latest appointment.
“Not many will do that. Even tech-savvy people with independents (such as the elderly) registered under their MySejahtera application still missed it. After registration, most will not get an immediate response, if not all the time, thus discouraging them to constantly check their apps and dig further for the latest update on vaccination appointments.
“Those who have not respond to MySejahtera and missed the appointment were told they would be contacted and be allowed to re-enroll into the vaccination programme at a future date,” he added.
He also pointed out that to add to the confusion, those who missed the appointment were advised to call the hotlines for a reappointment.
According to Tan, the hotline, as many know it, is almost impossible to get through and these further add to the already overloaded hotlines that otherwise can be reached for other more impending urgent matters.
“If each of the 18,215 who missed the appointment called three times into various hotline numbers, you will have 54,645 calls jamming the hotlines. An avoidable, unnecessary outcome,” he said.
At the same time, Tan suggested, a slight tweak on the MySejahtera apps alone can save the government ten of thousands of calls into the hotlines and immediately lighten the load off the already overwhelming government departments.
“In just one case of a missing appointment, many will try various means to reach out to the authority, not just once but to many departments, for the reappointment or ratifying issues at hand.
“The government needs to ensure reappointment for vaccination, and any rectification arises to be seamless and easy to comprehend and reach for the average folks. Prevention is better than cure,” he said. — DayakDaily
