PUTRAJAYA, July 26 — The Health Ministry hopes all pupils will be vaccinated before they are enrolled for the next Primary One intake.
Its minister, Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam, said the ministry hoped this would be part of the enrolment requirement to ensure parents did not overlook their child’s immunisation.
“We will hold discussions with the Education Ministry on how to link the national immunisation programme with the education system,” Dr Subramaniam said.
“However, it is up to parents to get their children vaccinated. They have to be fully aware their children are exposed to harm by not being vaccinated.”
Dr Subramaniam said in a month’s time, his ministry would deploy personnel to all schools to conduct immunisation screening on Primary Four and Five pupils.
“This is to remind those who have missed their vaccination that they need to get it.” He said the ministry hoped to reach out to the public more effectively on the importance of vaccination.
He said 1,500 parents had refused vaccination from the ministry which was looking to overcome this by sending the correct message to the public.
“We will advise them from the scientific point of view and Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (Jakim) has agreed to lend its support to advise from the religious aspect,” he said.
On Sunday, an 11-month-old baby in Sungai Petani, Kedah, was reported to have died of diphtheria.
Health director-general Datuk Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah said the child had been given two throat swabs and antibiotic treatment for two weeks and was not found to have been infected by the disease upon discharge from hospital on July 20.
“Upon discharge, the child was given antibiotics supply for a one-week course. We have done a post-mortem and are awaiting the final report on the cause of death,” he said.
