'Come down from high horse': MMA president blasts KJ's silence
There has been no engagement between National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NIP) coordinating minister Khairy Jamaluddin and private general practitioners (GPs) on their involvement in the immunisation programme's Phase 2 and 3, said Malaysian Medical Association president Dr M Subramaniam.
"The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) officially wrote to the minister on March 2, 2021 to meet on plans for private GPs to be involved in the NIP but there was no reply from YB’s office.
"No official...
There has been no engagement between National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NIP) coordinating minister Khairy Jamaluddin and private general practitioners (GPs) on their involvement in the immunisation programme's Phase 2 and 3, said Malaysian Medical Association president Dr M Subramaniam.
"The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) officially wrote to the minister on March 2, 2021 to meet on plans for private GPs to be involved in the NIP but there was no reply from YB’s office.
"No official communication from the Special Committee On Covid-19 Vaccine Supply (JKJAV) even until now," he said.
Subramaniam said that Khairy (above) showed no interest in engaging with private GPs.
He also asked why there were only 2,500 GPs registered with the programme.
"The minister should have come down from his high horse to meet with us months ago when we wrote to him.
"Perhaps that would have encouraged more GPs to get on board. What a difference it would have made if he showed some interest," said Subramaniam, not pulling his punches.
"The NIP coordinating minister has a Zoom session with the media every other day. Why hasn't he had a Zoom session with the 8,000 GPs in the country? Perhaps that could have made all the difference.
"Only now when cases of Covid-19 and deaths have skyrocketed, there is talk of GPs. Where were MOH (Ministry of Health) and JKJAV months ago? Or are we keeping to tradition in waiting for things to get worse before something is done?"
Yesterday, when asked why so few GPs were involved in the vaccination programme, Khairy said preparation was still needed as the Covid-19 vaccine is different from other vaccines.
"Training is required. The GPs said 'oh, the vaccination is routine for us'. Yes, the vaccinations before are routine but this Covid-19 vaccination is different.
"We have to give basic training for storage and for administering the vaccines which are a little bit different - from using the special syringe and other requirements," he said.
Khairy said some 1,482 GPs have already been granted letters of appointment to administer the Covid-19 vaccine but only half had the necessary equipment.
"Those who have enough readiness in terms of the cold chain are only 720. This is important because some GPs don't have the data logger on the fridge to monitor the temperature," he said.
Meanwhile, Subramaniam said by end-April, most of the 2,500 private GPs who were registered had already received training and were ready to begin vaccinating in early May - the timeline targeted to begin the programme.
However, he said they have since been left hanging.
"The GPs have been waiting for the go-ahead from the government. Was the NIP coordinating minister aware of this? If he was, why the delay?
"Even with 2,500 GPs, 75,000 vaccinations could be carried out per day. I am sure the minister is well aware of this as it has been widely publicised.
"If he is indeed aware, then as the minister in charge of the NIP, he should be bugging the GPs night and day if the programme was not moving along, knowing they are the best, easiest option, and most readily available resource to carry out vaccinations as proven in programmes run in other countries," he said.
All private GPs were trained by the MOH added Subramaniam.
"Every day, the minister is getting bombarded with questions on the slow progress of the NIP. Shouldn’t he be engaging with the private GPs who can instantly double or triple the vaccination rate?"
"As can clearly be seen now, many members of the public prefer to go to their good ol' private GP down the road to get their jab. As a minister serving the people, he should do all he can to make that happen as quickly as possible," he said.
The MMA president slammed the government for its failure to listen.
"One of the main reasons why the government of the day, after three MCOs, has failed to bring the Covid-19 situation under control is its failure to listen.
"There is a lot of talk from them but no listening. Policies are decided in silos, with hardly any engagement with stakeholders. This has been the story since day one of the pandemic.
"How can there be any hope of success in managing the pandemic when the government is keeping to themselves and even turning away help?" Subramaniam asked.
