SHAH ALAM, Jan 29 — The Opposition coalition has set up its own immunisation task force to ensure that the national Covid-19 vaccination programme succeeds once it kicks off.
The task force, dubbed the Pakatan Harapan Immunisation Taskforce, will be chaired by former health minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad and represented by the three component parties — PKR, Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah), and DAP — and include the state executive councillors for health from the PH-led state governments.
In a statement today, Dr Dzulkefly said the Opposition recognises the difficulties in carrying out a comprehensive immunisation programme in a short time.
He had also called for the Federal government to embrace the bipartisan spirit and involve the PH representatives in the Special Committee on Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee (JKJAV) to achieve a Covid-19 vaccine inoculation plan.
“The involvement of PH in the JKJAV will send a message to the people that the National Immunisation Plan transcends politics and hopes that it will receive nationwide support.
“The success or failure of the immunisation programme will determine the overall health of the people, the capability of the health (system) capacity and the economic recovery of the nation.
“Therefore, in order to safeguard the interest of the people and the future of the country, PH is putting aside political differences to work together with the government. We hope this decision will convince the people to receive immunisation,” he said.
Dr Dzulkefly said the PH representatives will come together to assist in communicating the benefits of the taking the Covid-19 vaccine and fight the anti-vaccine movements as well coordinate the immunisation programmes in their respective parliamentary and state constituencies.
He said the task force would also include the involvement of medical experts, stakeholders, and non-governmental organisations in a “whole of society approach”.
Other PH members who will be part of the task force include former deputy health minister Dr Lee Boon Chye, Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii, Lumut MP Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli, Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin, Bangi MP Dr Ong Kian Ming, Selangor, Penang and Negeri Sembilan state executive councillors for public health Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud, Dr Norlela Ariffin and Veerapan Supramaniam.
The Health Ministry had announced Malaysia’s first Covid-19 vaccine clinical trial to have commenced on January 27 in nine hospitals, involving some 3,000 Malaysian volunteers over a period of 13 months.
On January 23, Health Minister Dr Adham Baba was reported to have said that a national vaccination programme is expected to roll out on February 26 and would cover 27 million of the country’s 32 million population.
Meanwhile, the Selangor government had expressed its plans to acquire five million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine for the people of the state.
