KUCHING, May 14: Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) Women’s Wing supports party president Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing’s suggestion that Putrajaya needs to come up with a policy to regulate the procurement, sales and usage of Covid-19 vaccines in Malaysia.
PRS Women chief Dato Sri Doris Sophia Brodie in a statement today said, this is important especially in the light of this ferocious pandemic where Malaysia even had to resort into a state of emergency to curb the spread of Covid-19 in this country.
With regards the management of the spread of Covid-19 pandemic, she said, the well-being of all Malaysians must be the prime focus of the Federal government now as the situation seems to be more critical now than it was when the country had the first Movement Control Order (MCO).
“All these in our view when addressed, implemented and executed will expedite the vaccination process and will sooner flatten the curve and a good policy when executed meaningfully will bring tremendous and effective results,” she said.
To date, she noted, they were made to understand that the number of people seeking to be vaccinated exceeded the supply of the vaccines, and this is causing concerns and worries especially when the Covid-19 curve is steep and had been so for a while.
“While we understand that all states in Malaysia are anxious to create herd immunity, Sarawak must be given due attention as almost 40 per cent of its population are rural based and in a cluster style living such as in the longhouses and villages.
“We fear that further delay may expose us to face other strains in which the current vaccines may not be effective to combat,” she added.
Meanwhile, Doris also pointed out that the speed of Covid-19 vaccines rolled out for Sarawak by the Ministry of Health (MOH) is slow moving.
She said whatever the hindrances or hiccups are that caused the delay need to be looked into seriously and expeditiously by MOH and Putrajaya.
“If money is the issue then Putrajaya must allow state(s) like Sarawak, conglomerates and major private companies that have the financial capability and are willing, to buy the vaccines.
“Or, if by doing so, Putrajaya is worried about unscrupulousness particularly concerning the legitimacy of the vaccines, we believe that with proper and strict monitoring and supervision by the relevant authorities and govern with a good policy all these can surely be overcome.
Apart from that, Doris opined that private hospitals and clinics can also be authorised to assist to vaccinate the populace.
“At the same time, the pharmacies can be allowed to buy and sell the vaccines as controlled items and at a controlled price,” she said. — DayakDaily
