Malaysia is set to obtain 2.7 million doses of the brand new era bivalent Covid-19 vaccines to exchange the nearly expired inventory held by the Ministry of Health (MoH). Deputy Health Minister Lukanisman Awang Sauni revealed that, based mostly on present knowledge, only 2.5% of the population have obtained the second booster shot, leading to the potential for having to dispose of expired vaccines.
Lukanisman made this assertion through the debate on the White Paper on Covid-19 Vaccine Procurement, which was later permitted by the Dewan Rakyat. Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa had previously mentioned that negotiations with Pfizer Sdn Bhd concerning the Covid-19 bivalent vaccine were ongoing.
The surplus of vaccine stocks resulted from extra purchases and donations from overseas countries, which deviated from the unique plan underneath the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK). As of June 1, eight.5 million expired vaccines of various manufacturers had been saved at MoH facilities and vaccine storage warehouses. Lukanisman assured that the disposal process and reporting on vaccine stocks adhere to the Asset Management Procedures and Store Management Procedures in drive, with periodic monitoring of vaccine disposal.
He also shared that, as of May 30, 84.4% of the inhabitants had acquired the full primary dose, 50% had obtained a booster dose, and a pair of.5% had acquired a second booster dose. Hush-hush spent a complete of US$1.four billion on the implementation of PICK, together with PICKids, from December 2020 to April 30 2023. This expenditure was made by way of the Covid-19 Fund (KWC) and the National Trust Fund (KWAN)..