Govt sets up special committee on COVID-19 vaccine supply access guarantee

PUTRAJAYA:The Cabinet today agreed to the setting up of the Special Committee on COVID-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee to ensure that the vaccine can be obtained immediately, safely and perfectly when available.

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin in a statement here today said the special committee will be co-chaired by him and Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba.

"The decision to set up the special committee is important to ensure that careful preliminary preparations are made before we receive the supply of the vaccine for the use of all Malaysians," he said.

Khairy said the committee would prepare the COVID-19 vaccine acquisition and distribution framework and plan when it is approved to be used in Malaysia.

Several sub-committees with specific job scopes would also be set up across ministries and agencies to facilitate and expedite the implementation of the plan, he said.

Among the job scopes are the selection of vaccine, communications, registration and approval, trade facilitation, finance, storage, logistics and transportation, as well as the distribution of the vaccine.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the COVID-19 vaccine from China will probably be available in Malaysia by end of the year after the republic agreed to list Malaysia as a priority recipient of the vaccine after it has completed clinical trials.

-- BERNAMA