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KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) is calling on the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) to rope in some 8,000 private general practitioners (GPs) nationwide for the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme’s (PICK) final lap towards achieving herd immunity.
Its president, Datuk Dr Subramaniam Muniandy, said the fraternity is puzzled as to why the CITF recently decided to stop vaccination appointments at 741 private GP clinics, several private hospitals and ambulatory care centres in Selangor.
He said the healthcare facilities were given only 48 hours notice by the CITF to cease.
“Such policies of use-when-need and dump-when-not-needed will not augur well and discourage other GPs from participating,” he said.
“Most people find it more convenient to go to a private GP for their vaccinations as private clinics are close to the community and are not crowded.
“It is also the preferred choice of the people because of the personalised service,” he said in a statement.
“The CITF should be increasing and not limiting the involvement of private GPs in this phase of the PICK.”
Stressing that more GPs should be encouraged to participate, he noted that there are 741 private clinics in the Klang Valley participating in PICK, 250 of which are here and 491 in Selangor.
He said that with free vaccinations under PICK and private vaccinations at as many private GP clinics as possible, the overall vaccination rate would increase.
“Recently, CITF informed private GPs via a circular issued by ProtectHealth (ProtectHealth Corporation Sdn Bhd) that private GPs giving private vaccinations will not be allowed to give vaccinations under PICK,” he said.
“No reason has been given, however, we do believe it has to do with the coding system for the vaccines – a minor issue we believe can be easily resolved as both the vaccines under PICK and private vaccines will have a separate code.”
Dr Subramaniam added that CITF should also tweak the booking system for AstraZeneca jabs to allow the public to book appointments with their preferred clinics.
As each clinic may its own vaccination capacity, such a system would allow for easier implementation and appointments would be better coordinated, he said.
He urged for increased engagement in this matter by CITF.
“The vaccinations for adolescents aged 12-17 is only three weeks away. If the GPs are going to be roped in as the health director-general had indicated, it needs to be planned now, likewise the booster shots that will be required in a few months,” he said.
Dr Subramaniam noted that mega vaccination centres (PPVs) have helped provide the much-needed boost in the vaccination rate, with more than 50% of the country’s population having received at least one dose.
“However, now that vaccinations have picked up, the CITF should phase out the mega PPVs and allow GPs to run PICK’s final lap while the government strengthens its resources at public healthcare facilities.” – The Vibes, August 21, 2021
