Penang won't buy vaccines, convinced national supply sufficient

 

The Penang state government has shelved plans to purchase its own supply of Covid-19 vaccines after being convinced there is sufficient stock under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NIP).

The Malay Mail quoted Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow (above) who said NIP coordinating minister Khairy Jamaluddin has assured the state of sufficient vaccine doses.

“The state government feels that vaccine supply is no longer an issue so we will depend on the federal government’s vaccine supplies to reach our target of completing the NIP for Penang by October,” Chow reportedly said.

He was speaking at a press conference after visiting the mass Covid-19 vaccination centre (PPV) for AstraZeneca at Spice Arena in Bayan Baru, Penang.

Khairy previously confirmed that a private company's offer to contribute two million doses of the Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine to Penang was a scam.

The minister said this after former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng urged Chow to accept the company's offer, despite rejection by the Health Ministry.

Meanwhile, Chow said there will also be seven private hospitals authorised as PPVs where each hospital will be giving out 50 to 200 doses per day depending on the hospital’s capacity.

This is on top of 13 general practitioner clinics that will also serve as PPVs with between 36 to 90 doses administered per day depending on the respective clinic’s capacity.

"The rate of vaccination now is between 5,000 and 10,000 people per day and we aim to reach the target of completing the vaccination by October," Chow said.

Overall he said a target of between 25,000 and 30,000 doses per day has been set in order to complete the process by October.

Its success, however, will depend on the availability of PPVs and volunteers, he added.

“We will need to look at the resources available and if we can speed it up, we hope to do better than reaching the target by October, maybe September. We just need to work on the logistics of it and drive-through vaccination will be an option too,” said Chow.

Malay Mail quoted Special Advisor to the Prime Minister of Malaysia on Public Health Dr Jemilah Mahmood who said drive-through vaccination could be considered for administering second vaccine doses.

"It would be easier for those receiving their second doses as they have already signed their consent forms so it will be faster too," she said, noting that over 60 percent of Penang residents have registered for the NIP.

There are currently two PPVs in each of Penang's five districts and additional PPVs are expected to start operations at seven private hospitals, namely, Lam Wah Ee Hospital, Loh Guan Lye Specialist Centre, Pantai Hospital, Penang Adventist Hospital, Gleneagles Medical Centre, and Optimax Eye Specialist Hospital. - Mkini