The Health Ministry will identify groups left out of the immunisation programme, including the poor.

Its minister, Dr S Subramaniam, said the measure would be taken following the death of two children in Malacca and Kedah due to diphtheria.

"This needs to be addressed. The families (of two children) failed to give them a compete vaccination due to poverty and nomadic lifestyle.

"They are not anti-vaccine but were left out because of socio-economic issues, wherereas the immunidation programme is free-of-charge," Subramaniam told reporters after the ministry's breaking of fast with the media in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

The ministry, with the collaboration of the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, will identify and trace the groups to ensure that they would get a complete vaccination.

Commenting on the anti-vaccine group, Subramaniam said the ministry would step up its awareness campaign to change negative perception of the vaccine.

Vaccination not 'a must' now

"For now, it (vaccination) is not a must. We encourage the parents to ensure that their children received it and many have followed.

"For a start, we will increase their awareness. Then, we will look at another approach," he said.

He said although the vaccine jabs may cause minimal side effects, such as swelling and fever, such protection was important and considered safe.

"Vaccine is evaluated in terms of quality, efficacy and safety in which it must be clinically proven before it is registered by the drugs control agency and the Health Ministry.

"It is a must before it is made available in the Malaysian market," Subramaniam said, adding the government spends RM100 million a year on it.

- Bernama