PUTRAJAYA, Oct 24 — Malaysia is expected to secure access to Covid-19 vaccine supply in the first quarter of next year.

The Health Ministry (MOH) along with the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (MOSTI) in a joint statement today said priority would be given to frontliners from the health and security sectors such as doctors, nurses, police as well as prison and immigration personnel.

"To date, MOH has been in contact with eight vaccine candidates who are now at the third phase of clinical trials,” according to a statement issued following the first meeting of the Vaccine Supplies Access Guarantee Special Committee, yesterday.

MOSTI and MOH said the government was also concluding negotiations with COVAX, an international initiative led by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and partners to ensure access to Covid-19 vaccines, which has nine Covid-19 vaccine candidates under the Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunisation (GAVI).

"The government will provide financial allocation for the vaccine purchase through the Finance Ministry’s Covid-19 Fund,” said the statement.

According to the statement, the special committee meeting co-chaired by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba and Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin also agreed to form four sub-committees across various ministries and agencies according to specific tasks.

The committees are related to the National Vaccination Policy, Suitable Vaccine Selection, Logistics Registration, Vaccine Development, Financial and Procurement as well as Communications involving vaccine procurement.

"The government is committed in obtaining a decision immediately to get the vaccine, this is to ensure the country does not miss out in getting a vaccine which is approved and proven to be safe,” the statement said.

The special committee was formed to ensure the Covid-19 vaccine supply is obtained immediately with MOSTI and MOH acting as the main committee in planning, implementing and monitoring the overall strategy for the vaccine supply until the immunisation programme is carried out. — Bernama