The government needs to broaden its Covid-19 vaccine portfolio to include other vaccines to speed up the inoculation drive instead of relying on existing vaccine sources.
Experts said supply issues due to purported vaccine hoarding by wealthy nations would prolong the pandemic as new variants continued to spread, which would affect Malaysia's target of reaching herd immunity by year end.
They believe this could put the nation in an endless loop of lockdowns with damaging effect on livelihoods and the economy.
The Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry's head of the Independent Covid-19 Vaccination Advisory Committee, Professor Datuk Dr Awang Bulgiba Awang Mahmud, said the issue of unequal vaccine distribution called for vaccine diplomacy and renegotiation of contracts.
"Equitable vaccine distribution requires bilateral negotiations between Malaysia and countries that have excess doses.
"Practically all developed countries have excess vaccine doses.
"It is easier said than done as they want to complete their vaccination programmes soon and are prioritising their populations," the epidemiologist told the New Sunday Times.
On April 14, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin attributed Malaysia's slow vaccination rate to an insufficient vaccine supply as rich countries had been buying doses three to five times more than what their citizens needed.
The coordinating minister for the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme said many pharmaceutical companies were prioritising wealthy nations.
International media, citing available data, reported that the United States, Canada, and the European Union were hoarding the lion's share of the world's vaccine supply.
Last December, the BBC reported that even though rich nations represented 14 per cent of the world's population, they had bought up to 53 per cent of the most promising vaccines.
Dr Awang Bulgiba, Mosti's Covid-19 Epidemiological Analysis and Strategies Task Force chairman, said renegotiation for faster delivery might incur increased costs, but this was an investment for a speedier recovery.
"The faster we reach herd immunity, the quicker we can get back to something close to normal life. We can easily model and weigh the costs and benefits. After modelling this, we will find that the benefits far outweigh the costs."
The Universiti Malaya professor said several vaccines had received approval for use globally, but the Health Ministry's National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) had approved only three for the Malaysian market.
Gamaleya's Sputnik V and CanSino Biologics' Convidecia vaccines have yet to receive NPRA's approval, although Malaysia has reportedly ordered the vaccines.
"I am not sure why the approval process is slow. Perhaps Malaysia needs to broaden its portfolio to include other vaccines, like Moderna's mRNA-1273.
"Vaccination is the only viable way out of this pandemic. So we need to pay serious attention to this."
He said failure to reach herd immunity in any country might allow the development of variants that could evade immunity afforded by the vaccines.
He said no country could stay isolated due to their interconnected economies.
He added that failure to achieve global herd immunity meant new waves of infections could continue to happen in countries that had yet to reach herd immunity.
"This will prolong the pandemic, and the world and Malaysia will suffer as a result. We see this in countries with surges in infections, such as India, South Africa and Brazil.
He said India, despite having an enormous capacity to manufacture vaccines, was slow with its vaccine rollout.
He said this had resulted in the B.1.617 variant sweeping through the country.
"That variant has emerged in many countries and is causing problems.
"So we need to vaccinate as many people as quickly as possible to get out of this pandemic.
"If not, this cycle of infection waves will repeat in one country after another."
Manipal University College Malaysia Community and Occupational Medicine Professor Dr G. Jayakumar said Malaysia should hasten vaccine approval via the Emergency Use Authorisation.
The vaccine shortage, he said, was exacerbated by US rules restricting the export of raw materials essential for other vaccine-producing countries.
"It is predicted that the sluggish pace and unequal distribution of vaccines globally will result in the world's poorest nations' inability to reach a 60 per cent vaccination rate by at least 2023.
"Global leaders need to be mindful that vaccine inequality and inequity will cost lives."
Malaysian Public Health Physicians Association president Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar said Malaysia had to look at other sources, such as China, India and Russia.
The government, he said, should roll out a plan to become a vaccine manufacturer like India, Indonesia and Thailand.
"Malaysia has to galvanise support from other developing countries to pressure the World Health Organisation and the United Nations for equity in vaccine supply either through the Covax facility or other mediums."
He said total global protection through vaccination was achievable upon the complete vaccination of the world's population.
He added that failing to do so would prolong the pandemic as the virus would continue to mutate.