PRIVATE hospitals must begin the vaccine procurement process now to ensure delivery by mid-year or end-2021, given the global shortage of supply.

Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia president Dr Kuljit Singh said this today in a statement urging the government to expedite approval for the association members to acquire Covid-19 shots.

“We believe more vaccines will be available by the middle of the year as worldwide approval of newer vaccines are in the pipeline,” he said.

“We urge the government to hasten the process of approval so that manufacturers can submit applications to the NPRA (National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency) for registration.”

Dr Kuljit said it is still possible for private vaccination to commence in June or July provided the procurement process starts at once.

He was responding to Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin’s warning yesterday for the rich to “manage their expectations” concerning the availability of the jabs in private healthcare.

“Let’s hope the wealthy do not think they can pay for the jab and get it in a short period of time.

“There is a vaccine shortage in the world,” Khairy had said.

The coordinating minister for the national Covid-19 immunisation programme said the soonest private hospitals could expect to get their hands on the vaccines was in the third or fourth quarter of the year.

Khairy has played a key role in negotiating with manufacturers for the government to purchase Covid-19 vaccines.

Dr Kuljit today said it is important to procure the vaccines early for them to be available for use by the middle of the year, adding that any delay will have an impact on economic recovery.

He said the private hospitals aim to provide early inoculation options for multinational, government-linked and private companies with large workforces. – March 30, 2021.