HEALTHCARE SPECIAL MULTIPLE IMMUNISATION STRATEGIES - KEY TO SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION

Although both online and offline vaccine registrations were introduced last week, low public registration for the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NIP) raises concern that Malaysia might not achieve herd immunity anytime sooner.

- RESEARCH ANALYST AT EMIR RESEARCH, AMANDA YEO.

According to the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MOSTI) Khairy Jamaluddin, only 6.1 percent of the population (1,468,137 individuals) had registered vaccination via the MySejahtera mobile application as of 11 am on March 1. It is far from the country’s desired target – inoculate more than 80 percent of the population (nearly 27 million out of 32 million Malaysians) against Covid-19 by March 2022.

Up to date, there are five methods for Malaysian citizens to register for vaccination.

According to the NIP Handbook published by the Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Special Committee (JKJAV), the public could either register their interest to be vaccinated online through MySejahtera mobile application or the website specifically on vaccination at www.vaksincovid.gov. my.

In terms of offline vaccine registration, there are three methods for the public to choose – contact a hotline set up for the purpose of registration from today (March 5) onwards; visit the public and private health clinics, and through outreach programmes for the residents in rural and remote areas.

The recent establishment of the JKJAV and Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) is indeed a good start for Malaysia to kickstart immunisation. However, to ensure its successful implementation and conclusion the whole of government and the whole of society approach is required that goes beyond the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) and the National Security Council (NSC).

This would involve a host of different stakeholders such as non-governmental bodies, schools, universities and healthcare providers, speeding up the immunisation processes.