Extra vaccination for 18-month infants deferred

PUTRAJAYA: The schedule for the additional dose of 5-in-1 vaccination mandatory for infants in the country at 18 months has been deferred to 24 months.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the decision was made as a short-term measure due to the shortage of the DTaP-IPV-HiB 5-in-1 vaccine.

He said the move was also to ensure adequate vaccine was available for infants at the ages of two, three and five months.

“The ministry will go ahead with the immunisation experts’ proposal that the additional dose scheduled at 18 months be postponed to 24 months.

“The three initial doses called the prime doses are crucial for children to protect them from diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio and Haemophilus influenzae type B,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Currently, he said, all supplies of 5in-1 vaccine brought into Malaysia were only for the ministry’s health facilities.

“However, the ministry will ensure that 10% of the incoming supply will be distributed to other health facilities including private clinics and hospitals.” – Bernama