PETALING JAYA: As Malaysia does not have a vaccine producing industry, there is a need to continue engaging various stakeholders and suppliers to procure the Covid-19 vaccine, said respiratory specialist Dr Helmy Haja Mydin.
“We have to be mindful of our limitations. The doses that Pfizer has agreed to sell to Malaysia is a result of negotiations that started months ago, even before the US Food and Drug Administration approved the vaccine.
“The global demand is more than supply, we can’t just call up and say we want more. That is why there are a number of different vaccines in the country’s portfolio.”
Helmy said the public cannot be forced to take the vaccine, and the government must continue educating the public, including foreign nationals, on the role of the vaccines in not only protecting themselves but the community at large.
He believes the government has ongoing discussions with private hospitals and general practitioners regarding the vaccine roll-out.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the government has formulated a protocol that will be implemented at all 600 vaccination centres nationwide to avoid wastage of the vaccine.
He said the vaccine would be administered to security personnel and volunteers at the vaccination centres in the event that people who registered for the vaccine do not turn up.
Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) president Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh said private hospitals were looking forward to working with the government to vaccinate the public in order to complete the process earlier than expected.
He said APHM was waiting to discuss the mechanism of the vaccination programme, as many would be happy to be vaccinated in private hospitals.
“Healthcare workers at private hospitals will receive the vaccine simultaneously with public healthcare workers and we are thankful to the government for this.”
Kuljit said APHM will work closely with the government to ensure all healthcare sector frontliners are covered.
“The vaccines are safe and the potential long-term complications of Covid-19 is far more severe than the unlikely side effects of the vaccine.”
