S’gor will cooperate, but also working on own supply
SHAH ALAM: Selangor will work with the Federal Government to acquire vaccines for people in the state but will also source for its own supply, says the Mentri Besar.
Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said the Selangor government would be engaging pharmaceutical companies in direct negotiations to obtain the vaccines.
“We are now planning and want to confirm first if we can get it as well as how many units and doses we need,” Amirudin told a press conference at his official residence here yesterday.
He added that the state government will also be in tandem with what the Federal Government is implementing, such as identifying target groups for immunisation.
“If the Federal Government targets certain groups, we will also target groups such as those who may be left behind or need to be vaccinated quickly,” explained Amirudin.
The Mentri Besar said discussions will also be held with the Federal Government to ensure the national immunisation project will be done speedily and properly in Selangor.
When asked to name the pharmaceutical companies the state government is in negotiations with, Amirudin said he will announce the details when the deals are done.
He added that it was crucial to secure sufficient doses to protect the local community as well as businesses in the state given the vaccine was required to be administered annually, as opposed to a one-off inoculation.
He said the state must also take care of local industries by ensuring vaccines are sufficient to go around.
“Almost 27% to 30% of the gross domestic product comes from the state’s manufacturing sector and hence it must be included immunisation programme.
“Manufacturing industries contribute a lot and there are a lot of registered foreign workers – about 500,000 foreign workers not including domestic workers,” said Amirudin.
On available data on vaccine recipients, he said Selangor has more than 80,000 people who hold the state’s Peduli Sihat medical card and were eligible for RM200 to RM300 each for the vaccines.
Another database included some 300,000 Selangor residents aged 60 and above registered under the state’s Usia Emas programme for in the senior citizens.
Amirudin added that a meeting would also be held between the state and Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin early next week.
“I think the context and discussion will revolve around the vaccine and its allocation throughout Selangor,” he said.
He said earlier discussions with Khairy were “macro in nature” and this time around, Selangor public health, unity, women empowerment and family committee chairman Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud would discuss in-depth about immunising those in Selangor.