Over 200 whistleblower complaints on Covid-19 vaccine programme resolved

 

Science, Technology and Innovations Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said he has already received over 200 complaints from whistleblowers related to the Covid-19 vaccination programme rollout, which have since been investigated and resolved.

“We have checked every single report. Some were without proof and some had proof, but all have been resolved,” Khairy said in a joint press conference today with Health Minister Dr Adham Baba on the progress of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.

Among the complaints, Khairy said, was a case at a hospital where medical officers from the emergency department were not included in the list of frontliners receiving the vaccine in Phase 1 of the vaccination programme.

He said the issue has since been rectified, and those from the emergency department will be included in the list of medical frontliners scheduled to receive their vaccinations within this month.

The minister said there was also another case in a particular area where the list of people scheduled for vaccinations included those not from Phase 1.

“When I checked, the answer I got was that they have completed vaccinating their frontliners, so they decided to add those not on the list… it is not a case of bad planning, but unclear planning.

“So, we have cancelled all the appointments for those who are not frontliners or part of Phase 1.

“I have instructed for the doses, which are supposed to be given to the frontliners, to be redistributed to areas and hospitals where they have not finished vaccinating the frontliners,” Khairy said.

Previously, he had called for whistleblowers to come forward amid complaints of alleged attempts to jump the queue for the Covid-19 vaccine.

The minister also responded to an earlier report where opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim requested Khairy to brief all opposition MPs on the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme in Parliament on March 18.

Khairy said he is ready to brief all backbenchers in Parliament, both government and opposition.

“I will arrange with them on the question of date and venue so that I can give a briefing to all backbenchers,” he said. - Mkini