PUTRAJAYA – The second phase of the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme will start on April 17 instead of April 19 as previously announced, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba.
He said the registration campaign needed to be intensified as people aged 60 and above and individuals with comorbidities made up only 30 per cent of the seven million people who had registered through the MySejahtera application.
“We need to intensify the campaign to increase vaccination registration through five methods, namely through MySejahtera or the Ministry of Health (MOH) website, contacting the hotline, going to district health centres and through non-governmental organisation (NGO) outreach programmes that also focus on the homeless and illegal immigrants,” he said.
A total of 9.4 million vaccine recipients are targeted in the second phase involving high-risk groups including the elderly, chronic patients, people with disabilities (OKU) and individuals with comorbidities.
Dr Adham told this to the media after witnessing the signing of an agreement between the Ministry of Health and Solutions Biologics Sdn Bhd (SolBio) to produce the CanSino COVID-10 vaccine from China on a ‘fill and finish’ basis, here today.
Dr Adham said the vaccination exercise would continue during the fasting month and that night appointments at certain Vaccination Centres (PPVs) would be offered to vaccine recipients.
Asked about the ban on vaccine exports in several countries to meet domestic demand following increase in COVID-19 infections and lack of supply, Dr Adham said it would not affect the ongoing immunisation programme in Malaysia as suppliers had committed to the government that delivery would be on schedule.
For example, he said Malaysia would procure the AstraZeneca vaccine from factories in Thailand through direct procurement, while the supply of AstraZeneca vaccine through the COVAX facility would come from South Korea.
“These things are all guaranteed. So the issue of delays in the supply of vaccines from suppliers does not arise for Malaysia. We can execute all schedules and deliveries within the stipulated time, but we hope deliveries can be expedited if possible,” he said.
It was reported that India has temporarily halted all major exports of AstraZeneca vaccine produced by the Indian Serum Institute (SII) to meet domestic demand following the increase in COVID-19 infections in the country.
The move as reported will also affect supply to the World Health Organisation (WHO)-backed COVAX vaccine sharing facility where many countries are expected to get their respective doses.
COVAX is a global initiative aimed at equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.
Framework for private hospitals
The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation and the Health Ministry will meet next week to decide on the policy and framework for private hospitals to purchase vaccines directly from suppliers.
Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the Association of Private Hospitals of Malaysia had written a request and permission would be given to private hospitals to negotiate with suppliers to purchase COVID-19 vaccines.
“As the immunisation programme coordinating minister, I am aware that the current vaccine market is very limited and if they (private hospitals) do manage to procure them, the vaccines could only be delivered at year end or next year,” he told reporters after visiting the vaccine centre at Kompleks Masyarakat Penyayang, here, today.
He said the permission would also be given to any state government interested to negotiate directly with suppliers for the procurement of the vaccines.
“Believe me … they will not be able to get the vaccines until the end of this year or early next year. This is because the approved vaccines such as the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine are only sold to federal governments, delivery of AstraZeneca vaccines only starts in June while Sinovac’s vaccines will be manufactured in Malaysia,” he said.
Meanwhile, Khairy said the ministry, MOH and the Vaccine Access Assurance Committee were looking into providing facilities for those who have received two vaccine doses.
On the number who have registered for the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme, he said it has surpassed 7.5 million which is 30 per cent of the national target.
“We are seeing quite a steady increase and I am confident when we start phase 2 on April 19, more people will register,” he said.
Ramadan SOPs soon
Meanwhile in a related development, the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for worship activities at mosques and surau during Ramadan, including Tarawih prayers, will be announced soon.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Seri Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri said for the Federal Territories, the SOPs would be coordinated by the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department while for the states, it would be determined by the Islamic Religious Council in the respective states.
“I think this (SOPs for worship during Ramadan) is similar for other prayers except for some minor adjustments that need to be made from time to time,” he told reporters after launching the YaPIEM’s (Malaysian Islamic Economic Development Foundation) Gold Account or Akaun SERY here, today.
Previously, the National Security Council has given the approval for Tarawih prayers to be held at mosques and surau during the fasting month starting April 13.
Meanwhile, on Akaun SERY, Zulkifli said the gold saving product would take YaPEIM one step further in helping to boost the economy especially when the country is recovering from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He hoped with the launch of the new product, YaPEIM would be able to compete and stand on par with the other gold industry players.
Akaun SERY is a shariah-compliant gold saving product that allows gold to be purchased digitally and converted to physical gold at a reasonable charge.
