KUALA LUMPUR - The Science, Technology, and Innovation Ministry (Mosti) has requested an RM3 billion allocation for Covid-19 immunisation to at least 70% of the national population next year.
Its minister Khairy Jamaluddin told the Dewan Rakyat the figure he requested was more than the RM1 billion proposed allocation mentioned before and this was among the plans discussed within a special taskforce involving the Finance Ministry.
Khairy, who is the Rembau parliamentarian, was responding to a supplementary remark from Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (Kuala Selangor-Amanah) who stressed that the country would see an immediate return of investments upon spending whatever allocation is needed for the mass immunisation.
Dr Dzukelfly, who is the former health minister, had also questioned why the ministry plans to commence vaccinations first on 3% of the population and also pointed out the country would lose an estimated RM2 billion a day if it were to go under lockdown, as mentioned by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
To this, Khairy clarified that the first 3% of Malaysians to receive vaccines would be all the frontliners.
Khairy said the 3% of the population involved were those in the health and security sectors covering doctors, nurses, police, prison and immigration officers.
The earliest supplies of vaccines would reach the country within the first quarter of 2021, Khairy said.
“Vaccine access for rural and remote communities will also be refined and be elevated as a priority in line with Covid-19 as a basic public need or public good,” Khairy said, in response to the main question on the matter posed by Ahmad Hassan (Papar-Warisan).
Khairy said there were currently 202 vaccine candidates identified by the World Health Organisation, of which 10 were under the third phase of clinical trials.
He added the government had engaged in science diplomacy and finalised negotiations with countries such as China, which has placed Malaysia on its priority list to receive its vaccine, as well as the international Covax facility, and other foreign pharmaceutical companies.
He said to ensure the supply of the Covid-19 vaccine arrives promptly, safely and intact, the Covid-19 Supply Access Assurance Committee (JKJAV) was established with the approval of the Cabinet on October 21, 2020.
The committee, he said, was co-chaired by the Health Minister and Science, Technology, and Innovation Minister acting as the Steering Committee member in planning, implementing, and monitoring the overall strategy for vaccine's supply. – The Vibes, November 4, 2020
