Report those selling Covid-19 vaccines to the police - KJ

Members of the public have been urged not to entertain offers to sell Covid-19 vaccines, as it is being provided for free by the government under its National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NIP), said its coordinating minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

“Instead, it should be reported directly to the police,” he said in a statement today.

In a separate statement today, the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) chaired by Khairy said it has lodged police reports on June 14 and June 22 regarding allegations of private sales of Covid-19 vaccines.

“The CITF is giving full cooperation to the police to expedite the allegations of misconduct. We have been made to understand that several arrests have been made and further details will be announced by the police soon,” the committee said.

It emphasised that neither the vaccines nor appointments to be vaccinated can be sold.

The statements came a day after the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) called for an investigation on claims that a “non-healthcare private company” is selling vaccines at RM400 for two doses per person.

It also claimed that the company has engaged a private healthcare facility to facilitate the vaccinations.

However, Khairy said the vaccines are currently being provided for no charge to vaccine recipients, including at vaccine administration centres (PPV) run by the private sector through the Health Ministry’s non-profit company ProtectHealth Corporation Sdn Bhd.

These cover PPVs set up at private clinics and hospitals, ambulatory care centres, and certain industrial premises.

“The same applies for industrial PPVs under Public-Private Partnership Covid-19 Industry Immunisation Programme (Pikas) that has been mobilised to contain the spread of Covid-19 through the fourth phase of Pick.

“The vaccines are provided for free under Pikas. The vaccine administration costs are to be borne by employers to cover the cost of setting up the PPV managed in the private sector and the services of private healthcare workers.

“Employers are forbidden from transferring the cost of the vaccinations to workers by deducting from their pay,” he said.

CITF added that the Special Committee on Ensuring Access to Covid-19 Vaccine Supply (JKJAV) had already decided on Oct 14 last year that Covid-19 vaccines cannot be sold to vaccine recipients nor supplied to a third party without the federal government’s approval.

“We wish to stress that the JKJAV has not granted approved to any party for this purpose,” it said.

For the record, the JKJAV is co-chaired by Khairy and Health Minister Dr Adham Baba. The CITF a group under the JKJAV.

Earlier today, the minister said a private market for Covid-19 vaccines is only expected to be opened around August, due to the current short supply.

“But by August, I think that there will be some companies who will be approved to bring in some vaccines from China like Sinopharm and other vaccines that are going to be registered here,” he said. - Mkini