Malaysia will soon make vaccination for children mandatory despite concerns by parents that the medicines might be tainted with pig-DNA, a news report said today.

Lokman Hakim Solaiman, deputy director-general of the Health Ministry, said the vaccinations are vital because of the spike in cases of diseases that are preventable with immunisation.

Lokman was quoted by the New Straits Times as saying that his office was coordinating with other ministries and agencies to make immunisation mandatory.

“This is a delicate issue,” Lokman told the New Straits Times . “People are talking about individual rights, but they must give some thoughts to the rights of the general public and the right to be protected from diseases that are preventable with vaccination.”

He said it is important for the country to manage and protect children from life-threatening diseases like measles, tetanus, polio and hepatitis.

Earlier in the year, the Health Ministry lamented that a growing number of Malaysian parents have opted not to let their children be vaccinated, amid concerns the some vaccines are tainted with pig DNA.

But the ministry insisted that the vaccines are not tainted with pig DNA.

Swine is considered unclean in Islam, and consuming any part of it is strictly forbidden.

- dpa