JANUARY 20 ― Like most Malaysians, I am alarmed and appalled by the recent string of exposes involving fake vaccination certificates involving 5,600 people in Selangor and another 1,900 in Terengganu. Underlining the issue is a greater concern that the numbers could be higher, with others yet to be detected.
The ultimate insult was the discovery that a clinic in Gombak that was certified by the Ministry of Health to administer the Covid-19 vaccines had reportedly thrown away the vaccines, returning empty vaccine vials to MoH as proof that the shots had been administered.
While marginalised communities within Malaysia and citizens in many parts of the world struggle to gain access to these life-saving vaccines, it is unacceptable to know there are people who are binning them on purpose!
The crux of the issue is a poor understanding of public health, where healthcare strategies are devised to protect the population from greater harm. Globally, vaccinations have been known to be the most cost-effective public health intervention, second only to the provision of clean water.
Vaccinations not just protect the vaccinated person, but the rest of the population who cannot be vaccinated, forming what is known as “herd immunity.” These include babies and young children, people who are allergic to vaccine components, and immune-compromised people.
Simply put, those who can be vaccinated are actually the privileged ones.
Imagine the anxiety for those with young children and babies, or a spouse undergoing cancer treatment, who cannot be vaccinated. Vulnerable groups like these are at highest risk of poor prognosis against any infection, particularly during a pandemic like this.
Most Malaysians are unaware that any drug or vaccine undertakes a stringent evaluation process through the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) to ensure the quality, safety, and efficacy thresholds fulfil regulatory requirements.
The evaluation takes into consideration manufacturing data, pre-clinical data, and clinical trial data from Phase 1 (safety), Phase 2 (immunogenicity and safety), Phase 3 (efficacy and safety), and also regulatory status from other reference countries before approval.
As a clinical trial volunteer for one of the Covid-19 vaccines early last year, I can attest to the stringent procedures and processes before the actual roll-out of the vaccines. With another 3,000 volunteers, I had undergone a series of blood tests and injections, followed by extensive questioning and monitoring in that double-blind study to ensure safety and efficacy before the vaccine can be released to the market.
In conclusion, those who do not want the vaccines simply should not waste them. One vaccine thrown away could have saved the life of another person who wanted it.
The government and Malaysian public had invested heavily in the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) to bring the pandemic under control. Faking your vaccination is the greatest injustice one can commit to your country and countrymen in these trying times.
* Chan Li Jin is Executive Director of the Pharmaceutical Association of Malaysia (PhAMA).
** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
