The Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre is to be converted into the first private large-scale vaccination centre for the Petaling district.

In a statement today, the Sunway Group said the 80,000 sq ft convention centre began accepting frontliners yesterday and aims to vaccinate “at least 1.8 million people” over the course of the next 11 months.

Some 1,400 frontliners have been vaccinated at the centre as of today.

“Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre has the ideal size, strategic location and infrastructure support we need to ensure the smooth rollout of the vaccinations,” said the Petaling district Disaster Management Committee in the statement.

“We are thankful to the Sunway Group for their prompt response in offering the convention centre as a vaccination hub and supporting the national immunisation programme.”

Under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, the centre will carry out vaccinations for healthcare workers in the government and private facilities, as well as essential services, until April.

The remaining healthcare workers, essential workers, senior citizens and high-risk groups will receive their jabs from April to August. Vaccinations for the community at large will run from August to next February.

Sunway Group deputy executive chairman Razman Hashim said the use of the centre will support the country’s aim of reaching 80% herd immunity, saving lives and livelihoods and helping the country’s economy recovery.

The group said it had committed more than RM50 million to support the immunisation programme, government healthcare institutions and provide retailers rent-free days after the movement control order was first implemented in March last year.