GEORGE TOWN, March 14 — Malaysia should introduce legislation similar to Italy’s Lorenzin Law that made it mandatory for children to be immunised if they are to attend public schools, said state exco Dr Afif Bahardin.
The health committee chairman said the federal government must act firmly against the still small but growing risk of the local anti-vaccination movement.
“The government needs to make a bold decision in making vaccination compulsory to stop the spread of preventable infectious diseases in the country,” he said in a statement issued today.
He said vaccination should be compulsory in order to achieve the herd immunity needed to protect against vaccinable diseases.
Anti-vaccine groups posed a threat to the safety and health of the country by reducing the vaccination rate and introducing unvaccinated children into the larger population.
“The government must act now to protect the lives of our children,” he said.
Italy’s so-called Lorenzin Law, named after its former health minister, mandates that children receive a range of mandatory immunisations in order to attend school.
The mandatory vaccinations are for chicken pox, polio, measles, mumps and rubella.
Earlier today, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad said the ministry is looking into amending the Prevention and Control of Infectious Disease 1988 Act to empower the government to make vaccinations mandatory.
The government is combating an increasing nationwide anti-vaccination movement by increasing its awareness programmes on immunisations, including through social media.
Vaccine refusals have led to the local resurgence of diseases previously thought eradicated and are believed to be behind deaths through illnesses such as diphtheria.
Diphtheria prevention is part of the typical MMR vaccine given to children.
