KUALA LUMPUR,Mar 1: The personal data of recipients who register to receive vaccine jabs under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme will not be revealed to the vaccine manufacturer concerned.
The coordinating minister of the programme, Khairy Jamaluddin has given this reassurance saying that data may be shared with the pharmaceutical company involved only in the event of an adverse event following immunisation (AEFI).
“The people need not worry. We (the government) will not reveal their personal data to the vaccine manufacturing company but will share it only in case of an AEFI.
“For the situation between Pfizer-BioTech and Israel, they (Israel) had already agreed to share recipients’ details,” said Khairy who is also science, technology and innovation minister.
Khairy was speaking on a video programme, “Sembang Vaksin” via Zoom organised by a group of doctors and health personnel on Twitter or MedTweetMY, last night.
Meanwhile, he said the Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Special Committee (JKJAV) is discussing with private hospitals and medical practitioners on their involvement in Phase 2 and 3 of the national immunisation programme.
He said the shots for both phases need more health personnel including private hospitals and facilities to implement the programme in the country.
“It should be stressed that a portion of the people will be receiving their vaccine in private hospitals and health facilities in phase 2 and 3 of the programme and they would still be dispensed for free,” he said.
He said, for the time being, JKJAV has set that all procurement of vaccine from manufacturers would be through the government to ensure equity of immunisation to the people eligible for vaccine.
He added that, eventually, when the vaccine supply is available for the public market in future, the government will monitor and set the ceiling price for the vaccine in private hospitals.
In this regard, he said the government is studying the proposal to formulate a new ordinance on spreading fake news on the Covid-19 vaccine which can spark off confusion and fear among the people.
Apart from that, Khairy also shared that as at 6.30pm yesterday, 15,923 individuals had received the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine since phase 1 of the programme was launched on Feb 24.
