THE Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has slammed the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) for being “clueless” in ending the vaccination appointments at private general practitioners in Selangor under the National Immunisation Programme (NIP). 

MMA president Dr Subramaniam Muniandy said the CITF decision to abruptly end the appointments at private GPs in Selangor needed proper explanation, and asked if the Health Ministry (MOH) was consulted.

“Is CITF taking advice from the Ministry of Health or is it acting independently?

“Many Malaysians are still wondering why the NIP is a programme under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) when it should be led by MOH. Perhaps it is time MOSTI or MOH explain this because the CITF seems to be clueless when it comes to healthcare,” he said in a statement today. 

CITF had earlier given 48 hours’ notice to stop vaccination appointments at 741 private clinics, several private hospitals and ambulatory care centres in Selangor.

Yesterday, the task force said private doctors may still have a role in providing Covid-19 vaccinations in future, although private vaccination centres in the Klang Valley are being closed.

CITF denied that the involvement of general practitioners in the national immunisation programme had been discontinued.

Director-general of health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah had also said that the decision to stop vaccinations at private clinics had been made against his advice and “contrary to my proposal to increase the participation of GPs”.

Citing the health DG, Subramanian said Noor Hisham had proposed that GP participation in the NIP under Protecthealth be increased but claimed there is a very half-hearted response from the CITF on this matter. 

“It is obvious the CITF are not the experts but they are running the show for vaccinations. Even if they insist it should be them, they should at least consult the experts,” the MMA president said.

Dr Subramaniam said that in CITF’s statement yesterday, it also did not explain the rationale of not allowing private GPs to participate in the NIP if they are giving privately procured vaccinations.

“Isn’t the goal to vaccinate as many people as possible and achieve herd immunity in the quickest time possible?” he asked.

Dr Subramaniam also questioned CITF’s claim that more than 100% of adults in the Klang Valley had received their first shot of vaccination.

“How is it even possible that 107.7% of adults in the Klang Valley have received their first dose?

“We welcome an explanation from them,” he said.

The task force had yesterday said the figure included undocumented residents and non-residents. – August 23, 2021.