The debate on vaccination, particularly with the recent Health Ministry proposal to make it compulsory for children, is back on the table.
Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, last Saturday, said the ministry would table a policy in the cabinet to make immunisation a must for children.
There would, no doubt, be arguments against it, but it is the best solution to curb vaccine-preventable diseases in children, some of which can be fatal. The 2-year-old boy who died of suspected diphtheria infection in Johor last week is a case in point. Another five children, all below 4 years old, who are suspects, are in isolation at the paediatric ward of Sultanah Aminah Hospital, Johor Baru.
Last year, there were six deaths from measles and 19 deaths from pertussis or whooping cough. All the victims were found to be not immunised.
According to the ministry, misinformation about vaccination had caused a jump in the number of vaccine-preventable diseases, with cases of measles increasing from 125 in 2013 to 1,467 last year. A worrying trend, indeed.
Health advocates and experts have long vouched for the benefits of vaccination and that it should be made compulsory for selected types of childhood diseases for which vaccines are available and safe. This newspaper couldn’t agree more.
Due to their weaker immune system, children are the most vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases. Vaccines strengthen their (immune) system and protect them from potentially life-threatening complications.
The fact remains, though, that public misunderstanding of vaccination has become a polemic.
For decades, misconceptions about vaccines and vaccination have persisted due to poor understanding of the subject matter.
Some parents refuse to vaccinate their children because they were led to believe the vaccines contain illegal sources.
They were doubtful of its efficacy, safety and halal status. This is despite evidence that vaccines have saved millions of lives and eradicated diseases. Without immunisation, more children would die every year from measles, poliomyelitis, meningitis, diphtheria and other vaccine-preventable diseases.
The ministry, to debunk the misconception, has on many occasions assured the public that all approved vaccines have gone through stringent tests. From the religious aspect, the Federal Territories mufti has issued a fatwa stating that vaccines made in Malaysia were halal (permissible).
Religious experts even argued that vaccination is in line with maqasid al-syariah as it aims to preserve human life. This preventative action corresponds with the ultimate objective, which is preservation of benefits and avoidance of harm.
Routine vaccinations are administered at a very young age; hence parents are responsible for making those decisions on behalf of their children. Health experts and religious leaders have done much to address vaccination issues among the public. It is paramount for the health authorities to boost public awareness cohesively on all platforms, especially social media, to counter detractors.
What better way than this for the public to be educated through knowledge and verified information from authoritative sources.
The government has the strategies mapped out to make compulsory vaccination a reality.
What it needs now is the political will to make it happen.