PUTRAJAYA, April 21 — Three ministries, namely the Foreign Ministry, Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (Mosti) as well as Health Ministry (MOH) would be collaborating to ensure Malaysia take proactive measures to acquire the vaccine for Covid-19.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, Khairy Jamaluddin said the collaboration is aimed at ensuring Malaysia is in the best position to obtain access in the development of Covid-19 vaccine as well as the vaccine itself when it is available.
“The collaboration between the three ministries is very important as it is now undergoing pre-clinical and clinical trial in several countries,” he told reporters after a coordinating meeting of the three ministries at Mosti here today.
Khairy said the meeting today decided to use an approach based on science diplomacy to acquire Covid-19 vaccine.
So MOH and Mosti will identify the desired vaccine and medication and look into the development of the vaccine as well as the countries developing it.
“The information will be shared with Wisma Putra which will forge diplomacy with countries producing the vaccine so that Malaysia is involved at the testing stage,” he said.
He said the approach would ensure Malaysia is involved in producing Covid-19 vaccine and to receive the vaccine as quick as possible when it is ready for public use.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said apart from the vaccine, the collaboration of the three ministries is also to identify the medication for Covid-19.
“Vaccine is to prevent Covid-19 and medication is to treat,” he added.
Hishammuddin explained diplomatic ties and involvement with countries producing Covid-19 vaccine could reduce the waiting period to acquire the vaccine for Malaysia.
“If Malaysia is already in cooperation with the countries developing the vaccine, Malaysia may receive priority to acquire the vaccine,” he said.
He said the two countries which have agreed to supply Malaysia with hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) are Bosnia and India.
In this regard, Khairy said Malaysia had identified the countries to cooperate in developing the vaccine, among them are China, United Kingdom, South Korea, India, Bosnia and Russia.
“This is an initial list as some countries have contacted Malaysia while Malaysia would be contacting some of them soon,” he said, adding that Malaysia would be involved in clinical and human trial with the countries identified.
He also did not rule out the possibility that the duration to produce Covid-19 vaccine expected to take 18 to 24 months could be expedited as Covid-19 is already a world pandemic.
Meanwhile, Mosti in a statement announced that the ministry is cooperating with the Chinese Embassy in Kuala Lumpur on the possibility of carrying out clinical test for Covid-19 vaccine.
“Mosti hopes to be involved in such cooperation with other embassies,” the statement said.
It also announced that a university from China has shown interest to be a strategic partner of Mosti in developing Covid-19 vaccine via clinical research and tests at the end of April in Malaysia. — Bernama
