KUALA LUMPUR – The government has approved a total payout of RM195,000 for 17 cases where individuals had experienced adverse effects after being vaccinated for Covid-19, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has said.
Last year, Malaysia set up a RM10 million Special Financial Aid for Severe Adverse Covid-19 Effects fund, to assist those suffering from adverse effects after receiving their jabs.
Khairy said the approvals were based on evaluation made by the Covid-19 Vaccine Pharmacovigilance Special Committee of Adverse Effects Following Immunisation (Aefi) reports, sent to the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) by health personnel treating patients within three months of receiving a jab.
“This aid is handed out on the basis of the government’s concern and not an acknowledgement of any liability on the government,” he said in a parliamentary written reply to a question by William Leong Jee Keen (Selayang-PH).
Khairy said the ministry has rejected aid applications for 23 cases, while 147 more are still under evaluation.
Malaysia has administered nearly 68 million Covid-19 vaccine doses as of March 11, from which the NPRA had received 25,746 Aefi reports that required evaluation, the minister said.
Of the total Aefi reports received, 1,789 cases were classified as serious. – The Vibes, March 18, 2022
