Several PPVs ran out of vaccines due to high vaccination rate - KJ

Several Covid-19 vaccine centres in the country ran out of supply recently due to their high utilisation rate, according to Khairy Jamaluddin.

The minister in charge of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NIP) said this morning that the issue, however, was not widespread and involved only several vaccine centres, or better known as PPVs.

"We are now increasing the rate of vaccination. Due to this, several PPVs recently had run out of stock.

"However, such incidents only happened at several PPVs, not many. And this was because they ran out of vaccines while new stocks were not yet able to reach them.

"But this situation only lasted for several days. We hope that by July when we receive more supply, this will not happen again," Khairy told the media during a press conference at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (Mitec).

He was there for a visit at the Mitec mega PPV to oversee a mass vaccination exercise for pregnant mothers.

Malaysiakini recently received information that some PPVs in several states had to turn away vaccine recipients who had appointments as they ran out of vaccine supply.

Khairy, who is the science, technology and innovation minister, also promised they are addressing the issue and those vaccine recipients who had to be turned away will get their appointments rescheduled as soon as possible.

He said the high utilisation rate also left Malaysia with a low buffer in its vaccine supply.

From eight million doses that the country has received so far, Khairy said they have utilised some seven million, leaving authorities with only about one million doses in their hands now.

[More to follow]