SHAH ALAM, June 27 —Selangor may be forced to temporarily close some vaccination centres unless its Covid-19 vaccine supply is replenished, says Selangor state executive councillor on public health Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud.
In a series of tweets from last night until today, Dr Siti Mariah said currently the state only has 20,000 doses left in its stockpile and if no more stocks arrived by tomorrow some PPV may have to be closed.
“Current vaccination capacity in Selangor’s Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) vaccination centres (PPVs) is 87,616.
“The average number of vaccines given daily is 50,000 for (the) the first dose and 20,000 for (the) the second dose.
“Balance 20,000 doses. If no additional vaccines arrive by tomorrow, some PPV will have to close,” she said on Twitter today.
Dr Siti Mariah had written the tweets in response to a statement by the Minister in charge of the National Covid-19 Immunisation programme (PICK), Khairy Jamaluddin, who said Selangor is facing vaccination capacity issues as Putrajaya had increased the vaccine supply to Selangor by more than 20 per cent of the total supply in June and July.
Khairy also stated that Selangor’s vaccination capacity had increased to 50,000 doses a day from 20,000, but require a capacity of over 100,000 daily doses administered.
In response, Dr Siti Mariah made reference to Pinocchio, a character in a children’s story whose nose grows larger when he tells a falsehood.
“It really seems that the minister does not know the problem on the ground. Selangor has the capacity to do more. If it continues as he says, after a few days, there will be PPVs that will have to be closed temporarily.
“Don’t lie by saying there is enough supply. Be truthful or your nose will get longer,” she said.
Dr Siti Mariah also reminded that if Selangor was discriminated it will impact the whole country.
“Discriminate (against) Selangor, (and the) whole country will suffer. You (will) answer to Allah YB minister,” she said.
Dr Siti Mariah said all of the state agencies are working well with the Federal health authority in getting the people inoculated.
However, she said the efforts were hampered by the low number of vaccines given to the state and affecting the immunisation programme.
“The Selangor State Health Department (JKNS) and the state government is working well together. We contained (Covid-19) clusters (at) factories in Selangor, we can contain Covid-19 throughout the country.
“Targetted vaccination (is) the way to go. We need (more) vaccines minister. Please listen,” she added.
On June 8, Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj had voiced his hope that the Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Special Committee (JKJAV) would speed up and increase the number of vaccine doses for the state’s residents.
The Selangor Ruler was surprised when the CITF confirmed that Selangor had only received 615,210 Covid-19 vaccine doses and not 2.9 million as previously claimed.
His Royal Highness had also expressed the unfair and unbalanced vaccine distribution due to Selangor’s high population of 6.5 million.
