Ensure vaccination rates of six states reach 50 per cent before end of September - PM

KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Health (MOH) and Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) have been given until the end of September to ensure that the vaccination rates of the adult population of six states reach 50 per cent.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaacob said the six states recording vaccination rates of below 50 per cent were Perak (46.5 per cent), Terengganu (46.2 per cent), Johor (44.9 per cent), Kedah (43.2 per cent), Kelantan (43.1 per cent) and Sabah (37.1 per cent) up to yesterday.

"I want all these six states to achieve a vaccination rate of over 50 per cent (for their adult population) before the end of this September. We don't want any of these states to have less than 50 per cent."

He said this at a media conference after witnessing the administering of the one millionth dose of COVID-19 vaccine at the vaccination centre in the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (PPV, WTCKL), here, today.

The prime minister said that to ensure smooth running of the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK), he had ordered MOSTI to use the existing supply of vaccine in the country and not wait until the arrival of the additional supply ordered.

"If there is a problem with delivery, no need to wait for the vaccine but to instead rely on the existing supply. For example, Pharmaniaga Berhad which is bottling Sinovac, is always ready with this vaccine at its plant," he added.

Meanwhile, the prime minister said that delivery of the 200,000 doses of the single-dose CanSino vaccine to Sabah could help raise the vaccination rate in that state.

Ismail Sabri stressed that he did want the people to be the victims of COVID-19 due to late delivery of vaccine, only due to waiting for a certain type from the supplying company.

"We have ordered 500,000 doses through a company but is late in delivering it...so we will be taking the Sinovac. We don't want any hindrance to PICK because of the failure of a company to deliver the supply," he said.

On the same issue, Ismail Sabri indicated that Klang Valley would go into Phase Two of the National Recovery Plan (PPN) in view of the vaccination rate of its adult population now at 89.5 per cent.

"If it is at 89 per cent, perhaps it can move to the next phase as the rate is almost 90 per cent and perhaps more states can do the same. Let's wait for the next announcement," he said, adding that the matter would be discussed at the coming meeting of the Special Committee on Tackling COVID-19.

On today's programme, the prime minister congratulated the PPV WTCKL for having administered the one millionth dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine in Klang Valley under PICK.

Opened specially for administering the AstraZeneca vaccine, this PPV is the first mega one created with an initial capacity of 8,000 doses per day before increasing it to 18,000 doses on last July 19.

-- BERNAMA