Kelantan rearranges list of early vaccine recipients after queue cutting allegations

 

The Kelantan Health Department and the state government has rearranged the list of those who will be among the earliest to receive the Covid-19 vaccine at the Kota Darulnaim Complex, Kota Bharu, tomorrow.

A source familiar with the matter said the list might have been rearranged after allegations surfaced of individuals "skipping queues" ahead of frontliners for the Covid-19 vaccination.

The source said health officials involved at the implementation stage last week were informed that the state secretariat (SUK) wanted a quota for 120 recipients.

"Then there was a notice sent through a WhatsApp group that the vaccine for frontliners had been postponed to give way to the list of recipients from the state government.

"But when this issue came under scrutiny, I think the SUK made a U-turn," said the source, who is a health worker in Kelantan.

A source who declined to reveal their identity had previously sent an email to Malaysiakini to highlight the issue because they did not agree with the state government's plan to sideline the frontliners.

After contacting the source directly, the source confirmed the matter, although the relevant authorities had begun to deny the issue publicly.

Previously, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin had urged whistleblowers to come forward if they had any complaints about attempts to cut the queue for the Covid-19 vaccine.

He said this after nephrologist Dr Rafidah Abdullah posted on Twitter about complaints of the Kelantan SUK trying to skip the line for the vaccine.

However, Kelantan Local Government, Housing and Health exco Dr Izani Husin stressed that such claims were mere accusations.

Despite that, several Kelantan elected representatives later confirmed with Malaysiakini that their earliest vaccination date had been postponed.

Galas rep Syahbudin Hashim said he had initially received an invitation for the vaccination in tomorrow's programme, but he was later informed that all Aduns had their appointments postponed.

"At first there was (an invitation), but later all the Aduns (were postponed) to a later date. We don't know when yet," he said.

Kok Lanas rep Md Alwi Che Ahmad also recounted a similar incident when asked whether he received an invitation for the vaccination programme tomorrow.

"No. At first, I got (an invitation), then it was postponed. Only the menteri besar and the excos. Aduns will be the same (date) as the frontliners in the districts," he said. - Mkini