PETALING JAYA • Health experts are divided over whether Malaysia's private healthcare sector should be allowed to buy Covid-19 vaccines for its clients.
Some argue that this would speed up the process of achieving herd immunity, but others say this would promote queue jumping by the privileged, especially with global vaccine stocks scarce now.
Private hospitals have asked the government to let them buy the vaccines and inoculate those willing to pay for the service rather than wait in a long queue with other Malaysians.
Malaysian Medical Association president Subramaniam Muniandy said private vaccine procurement should take place only after high-risk groups have been vaccinated, especially as current vaccine stocks are scarce.
"The focus now should be on vaccinating front-liners and other high-risk groups under phases one and two of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.
"Only when these high-risk groups in the population are vaccinated and when there is more than enough supply of the vaccines should private healthcare procurement and administration of vaccines be allowed.
"There is a global shortage of vaccines as many countries have now started inoculating their populations," he said.
But the chief of the Malaysian Chinese Association's Public Services and Complaints Department, Datuk Seri Michael Chong, said: "There are 9,000 private clinics and hospitals across the country. Many people don't want to wait and they have the money to pay."
He added that if the government is concerned about profiteering, it can set out rules and prices for the inoculation service.
Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia president Kuljit Singh said private hospitals have no intention of commercialising the vaccine or making profits, but are keen to speed up the vaccination process.
Penang's Island Hospital chief operating officer Stephanie Lee said the hospital has received many requests from patients for the vaccine.
"As we (Malaysia) are not covering the full spectrum of the general public when it comes to vaccinations right now, there are some patients who want to be in the queue and are willing to pay for it," she said.
Sunway University's School of Medical and Life Sciences dean, Professor Abhi Veerakumarasivam, said the commercialisation of Covid-19 vaccines could potentially increase supply and accelerate immunisation efforts.
But he also expressed concerns that it would lead to unfair distribution and the further widening of the access gap between the haves and have-nots.
Universiti Malaya epidemiologist Awang Bulgiba Awang Mahmud said he is opposed to Covid-19 vaccines being sold on the private market.
"This is basically queue jumping disguised as a commercialisation or private sector initiative," he said, adding: "Private vaccine procurement is simply going to make the situation worse by depriving the health authorities of the very same vaccine supplies."
Malaysia kicked off its mass vaccination programme on Feb 24. There are three phases to it, with front-liners being vaccinated in the first phase from last month to next month.
The second phase runs from next month to August, with high-risk groups and senior citizens aged 60 and above being vaccinated.
The rest of the Malaysian population aged 18 years and above will be vaccinated in the third phase, which is from May this year to February next year.
THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
