FMT managing director Azeem Abu Bakar said that FMT as a news portal had a crucial role as a platform for public health communication in the effort to combat Covid-19 and future outbreaks.
“We thank NCSM for providing us with crucial and credible information on vaccines for us to publish. We also thank our readers for sharing those stories, which have extended the reach tremendously.
“The recognition that NCSM has given to various parties from volunteers, civil societies, corporations, small- and medium-sized enterprises, to the media reveals how Malaysians from different walks of life have come together during a difficult time.
“Thankfully, we are finally returning to a sense of normality,” he said.
NCSM’s Covid-19 vaccination programme began in February last year, focusing mainly on vulnerable and high-risk communities such as those living with non-communicable diseases like cancer.
The programme included “Infovax: A Dose of Truth”, an initiative aimed at combating misinformation about Covid-19 vaccines.
FMT carried a health education series comprising articles written by NCSM managing director Dr M Murallitharan.
Murallitharan said Infovax articles were viewed by 19 million readers and the programme as a whole had helped 109,668 individuals, with over 150,000 doses of vaccine delivered.
“When Malaysia began the vaccination programme, we deployed our staff members and volunteers to assist in vaccination efforts with a health communications campaign to ensure Malaysians received accurate information on the vaccines,” he said.
The award was presented by health minister Khairy Jamaluddin at the Sime Darby Convention Centre last night.
“Once we are done with Covid-19 or once it is under control, the health ministry and NCSM must return to fighting cancer. I give full commitment to NCSM that we will fight cancer together,” said Khairy.
The award ceremony was held in conjunction with the launch of a coffee table book, “From Cancer to Covid-19: How The National Cancer Society Malaysia Supported the Malaysian Covid-19 Vaccination Efforts”.
The coffee table book documents NCSM’s vaccination journey and captures the thought processes that guided the planning and implementation in its support of Malaysia’s Covid-19 immunisation programme, also known as PICK.
The book launch was officiated by the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah, and his consort Tuanku Zara Salim.