Let private GPs continue giving vaccines, ex-minister tells CITF

 

Dzulkefly Ahmad said the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force should not end the current contracts to utilise private clinic facilities for vaccinations.

PETALING JAYA: The Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) should continue roping in private general practitioners (GPs) to support the government’s vaccination efforts, former health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said.

“Like it or not, the Klang Valley has a high number of individuals who have not registered under the MySejahtera system, so we cannot conclude that we have hit high levels of vaccinations,” he said when responding to reports that 741 clinics in Selangor had received notices that they would no longer be getting vaccination appointments.

He said GPs would be the best bet for those left out from the MySejahtera system to get vaccinated.

“Closing mega vaccination centres (PPV) is a good move, because it involves high costs when a large number of people have already received their vaccines.

“However, the CITF should not end contracts to utilise private clinic facilities, but should instead continue them to enable those who are not yet vaccinated to get access to the vaccines.”

Dzulkefly was responding to reports that several PPVs in the Klang Valley would be closed in stages as the area inched closer to achieving its Covid-19 immunisation target.

Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, however, had said the health ministry and private medical practitioners would now do the necessary to cater to future needs of Covid-19 vaccinations for new registrants, young people,and for potential booster doses should the need arise.

Dzulkefly reminded that there was no reason to cut back on vaccination efforts now because the number of cases was still high.

“The intensive care unit (ICU) is still at full capacity, while the daily death toll in Selangor is around triple digits.”

Meanwhile, former deputy health minister Dr Lee Boon Chye said CITF must explain why private GPs were being let out in the final phases of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK).

“Is it because of insufficient vaccines or is the vaccination programme in Klang Valley really near completion?

“Are the remaining recipients of vaccines going to be affected by this?”

Recently, Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) president Dr Subramaniam Muniandy questioned why CITF had abruptly ended vaccination appointments at private GP clinics in Selangor.

The CITF, in response to queries on the matter, said that private doctors may still have a role in inoculating the public. It also denied that the involvement of GPs in the national Covid-19 immunisation programme had been discontinued. - FMT