Study on mandatory vaccination to look into exemptions, compensation

PARLIAMENT

 | A feasibility study on mandatory vaccination for infants and children will cover issues related to exemptions, compensation, and reporting mechanisms for any "adverse events following immunisation" (AEFI).

Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said the outcome of the study by a multi-agency taskforce will be presented as a working paper to the cabinet.

"If we want to enforce mandatory vaccination, for sure it (the study) will take into account the existence of any exemptions, or whether we can allow any exemptions.

"Also, in the event of any adverse events, whether we have a compensation mechanism," said Dzulkefly in his response Kelvin Yii (Harapan-Bandar Kuching) during Minister's Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat this morning.

Contrary to the belief of anti-vaccination groups, the World Health Organisation defines AEFI as any untoward medical occurrence after immunisation, and does not necessarily have a causal relationship with the use of the vaccine.

[More to follow] - Mkini