KUALA LUMPUR – The reason why Malaysia decided to join Covax is to show global solidarity and push for vaccine equity for all, said National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme Coordinating Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
Covax is co-led by the Vaccine Alliance, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and World Health Organisation. It aims to accelerate the development and production of the Covid-19 vaccine, and guarantees fair and equitable access for every country in the world.
According to Khairy, many parts of the world – especially low and middle-income nations – are struggling to get access to shot supplies, and do not have the capability or capacity to manufacture their own home-grown vaccine.
“The developed countries have cornered much of the supplies, and poorer countries now have to rely on facilities like Covax to get their vaccine. This inequity is injustice.
“Malaysia pre-empted this, and started negotiating early, including with AstraZeneca, to secure enough supply to immunise about 80% of the population by year-end.”
Khairy said credit must be given to AstraZeneca for selling its vaccine at cost price during the pandemic to ensure vaccine equity. Its jab makes up a big portion of the Covax vaccine supply.
Malaysia is scheduled to start receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine in May, involving the procurement of 6.4 million doses for the use of 3.2 million people.
The science, technology and innovation minister said Malaysia’s lack of competence to produce human vaccines is a wake-up call for him and his ministry to build up capabilities, especially in the healthcare sector, including the development of human vaccines from research and development to manufacturing.
In that respect, he congratulated AstraZeneca and Sunway University on the establishment of the country’s first health innovation hub, which will support the development of a more robust primary care ecosystem, and strengthen the position of the country on the innovation front in the healthcare space. – Bernama, April 8, 2021
