KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry has developed a Covid-19 vaccination programme that will be activated once a quality vaccine for the virus that is effective and safe has been identified.
Its minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba told Dewan Rakyat today that the implementation of the programme would be conducted in stages with priority given to frontliners who are directly involved with efforts to contain the virus as well as elderly citizens and patients with comorbidities.
The programme, he said, will be extended to all the people until the immunity target set by the country has been achieved.
"At the moment, the ministry is closely monitoring all the vaccines that are being developed by several parties.
"This is to ensure that the vaccine that would be used in the country complies with the policies as outlined in the national immunization programme.
"The vaccine must be effective, safe and of quality," he said.
He was responding to a question from Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (Pakatan Harapan-Kuala Selangor) who asked ministry to explain its specific plan and strategy in prescribing the vaccination plan for Malaysians when the vaccine is secured.
Dr Adham added that according to the monitoring conducted by the World Health Organisation (WHO), a total 155 vaccines are still in the pre-clinical trials while 77 vaccines have reached the clinical trials as of Nov 3.
"Of the total vaccines which have reached the clinical trials, 10 of them are in the phase three of clinical trials.
"Hence, as of now, there is no vaccine that has passed the third phase of clinical testing that can be registered and subsequently be used for the people," he said.
Dr Adham also said the high demand for the Covid-19 vaccine around the world may affect the supply of the vaccine for the country.
