PUTRAJAYA: Phase two of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme will go on as planned from April 19 despite a slow reception by the people for the vaccination, said Coordinating Minister of National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, Khairy Jamaluddin.
According to him, the vaccine supply was also slow due to the world supply chain which is facing various challenges as well as the greedy attitude of developed countries in buying huge quantities of vaccine far bigger than the population.
In a joint media conference on the immunisation programme with Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba here today, Khairy said the greedy attitude of developed countries was among the causes of vaccine supply problems faced by developing countries.
“(However) We (government) will try to speed up the delivery,” he said adding that the schedule of vaccine arrival would be announced.
According to the Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, Malaysia has received 1.37 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine.
A total of 979,794 individuals had received the vaccine in which 583,903 individuals have obtained one dose while 395,891 individuals have completed two doses, he said.
He said Malaysia would be receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in stages this month, which is 133,380 doses on April 14, 31,590 on April 15 and 12,870 on April 16.
In another development, Khairy said the government agreed to put media practitioners in the priority list to receive the vaccine jab.
“The problem now is the supply, when there is adequate supply, we will get the media people involved,” he said.
Asked on the decision of Malaysia to channel 50,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Khairy gave his assurance that it would not affect the immunisation schedule for Malaysians.
“The decision had taken into consideration the existing supply according to the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme,” he said. — Bernama
