KUALA LUMPUR: The Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) has pleaded with the government to allow private vaccination facilities to procure a wider range of Covid-19 vaccines.
This permission, APHM president Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh said, would help cater to those who wish to be vaccinated in a less crowded environment.
"Our earlier pleas of having private vaccination for economic frontliners may have reduced the current surge in Covid-19 patients.
"But the unfortunate situation of poor global delivery of vaccines in the first half of the year was very much inevitable.
"However, the government picked up their vaccination pace by dealing with the inoculation process efficiently and progressively, which had successfully ramped up the number of daily vaccinations.
"This includes allowing members of the public to walk into a vaccination centre (PPV) to get their vaccine jabs without prior appointment since Aug 2.
"At the moment, private vaccination facilities seem to be defeating its purpose, particularly in the Klang Valley as the government provides easy access for the people to be vaccinated.
"We have to admit that this may be a bit of a challenge to the private healthcare which promotes private vaccination facilities, as these would appear less attractive for anyone seeking for Covid-19 jabs at cost and additionally confined to a particular brand," he said in a statement, today.
Dr Kuljit said private vaccination facilities would benefit those who live outside the Klang Valley.
"Vaccination in private healthcare facilities inclusive of private hospitals and general practitioners will benefit the people outside Klang Valley and those who insist on a particular brand.
"We hope private vaccination purchases will be opened to wider types of Covid-19 vaccines.
"This is to cater to those who wish to be vaccinated in less crowded environments and perhaps in the near future when booster doses may be mandated for continuous immunity to the virus," he said.
He said private healthcare will be purchasing a particular vaccine brand and will announce the ceiling price of the sale to the public soon.
Dr Kuljit hoped private healthcare and private sectors involvement in vaccination drives would further enhance the vaccination process and help achieve herd immunity earlier than targeted.