Procurement of low deadvolume syringes underway

PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry (MOH) is carrying out the procurement of ‘low deadvolume' syringes, needed to administer the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine injections, with local and foreign companies, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba.

He said this type of syringe was needed and appropriate for the vaccine because it could avoid wastage and maximise the number of doses to be given, especially in the first phase of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme which will begin on Feb 26.

“The vaccine should be administered carefully because we need to avoid wastage and this syringe also meets the specifications requested by the Pfizer company,” he told reporters after receiving a contribution of 1,000,000 personal protective equipment from Eu Smart Solution Holdings Sdn Bhd, here, yesterday.

Low dead-volume syringes generally refer to zero-waste syringes, thus ensuring that the recipient of the injection receives the entire dose of vaccine he or she needs.

Last Saturday, Dr Adham was reported to have said that the MOH needed 12 million low deadvolume syringes to inject 20 per cent of the country's population or six million recipients in the first phase of the vaccination programme.

Dr Adham said the low deadvolume syringes would be placed at all vaccination sites that have been identified throughout the country.

“For the vaccine, we need to have complete equipment and I am confident with all the preparations available, we will be able to administer the vaccine carefully which in turn can protect the people from Covid19,” he said.