TB vaccination for all
KOTA KINABALU: Health and People's Wellbeing Minister Datuk Stephen Wong Tien Fatt confirmed that the Sabah government is also seriously mulling over administering vaccination for tuberculosis (TB) to everyone, including illegal immigrants in the state.
In response to the press on talks that TB infections were caused by immigrants coming into Malaysia, Wong acknowledged that the situation is undeniable, and the matter is not "so serious" but have a negative impact in Sabah.
"I think (this) is among problems that we cannot deny; foreigners indeed can bring in diseases into our state, so we hope to find a way to inject all the people here, including babies, but this is quite a big move. We are also still studying on how we can conduct a program.We look into it financially and also the suitability and also how we can work out," he said at the launch of Damai Wellness Centre in Luyang here yesterday.
"However, we also try to detect (any diseases) on foreigners coming in, the ones coming in officially must go through medical check-up. Of course, some of them come in illegally not according to documentation. There is this problem, but we will look into that," he said.
Wong also said the Sabah state government will go by the federal government’s decision on the proposal and policy on making immunisation vaccination compulsory for children, including babies.
He said the vaccinations were important as an early step towards preventing the spread of contagious diseases.
Currently, Wong said the state government is still in negotiations with its federal counterpart on vaccine administration.
“We are working on it, we are still negotiating with federal (on) how this program can be planned,” he said.
“Of course, we will see how the federal (will run) its program first. Then we will decide on the Sabah side. But definitely, if financially capable, we hope to vaccinate (foreign) babies so it won’t transmit to our local people too,” he stressed.
On February 24, the Health Ministry announced that it would table a proposal and policy to make immunization vaccination compulsory in the nation.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad commented on the matter after the death of a toddler in Johor Bharu from severe diphtheria recently.
The case of the two-yearold is the latest involving unimmunized children succumbing to preventable infections.
Dr Dzulkefly yesterday said the Health Ministry has mobilised a task force to study proposals and calls to make vaccination compulsory in the country.
He said the force which would be led by the ministry’s Disease Control Division and the Family Health Development Division would also include other agencies so that it would be more comprehensive.
“Following a discussion in the Cabinet meeting yesterday, the task force was set up to come up with a working paper on the ministry’s stand on the proposal to make vaccine immunisation compulsory in the country.
“The results of the study by the task force will hopefully be completed quickly...it is due to be discussed at the Cabinet meeting in two weeks,” he said after witnessing the signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding between the Health Ministry and the International Medical University (IMU) in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Dr Dzulkefly said although the ministry was inclined to making vaccination compulsory for the good of all parties, various issues including the legal aspects, must be taken into account.
He added that the Cabinet meeting will also discuss amending or adding to existing laws to allow for compulsory vaccination.
In a separate development, Dr Dzulkefly said the ministry will improve the National Community Health Empowerment Programme (KOSPEN) which was formed in 2013 following the rise in the number of non-communicable diseases like hypertension and diabetes.
Among the areas which would be given attention are mental health and cancer.