As Private Hospital PPVs Shutter, APHM Targets Vaccination Outside Klang Valley

The Association of Private Hospitals of Malaysia says select private hospitals will provide private Covid-19 vaccination, calling for a wider range of vaccines to be made available.

KUALA LUMPUR, August 23 — Covid-19 vaccine centres (PPVs) in private hospitals across the Klang Valley will be closed this month, the Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) confirmed today. 

This includes PPVs in private health care facilities and participation of public hospitals in mega PPVs in the Klang Valley under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK).

APHM president Dr Kuljit Singh said private hospitals will now focus on the coronavirus vaccination programme outside Klang Valley and decanting of non-Covid-19 patients from public to private facilities to allow public health care facilities to cater to more Covid-19 patients.

He mentioned that almost 2,000 decanted patients have been admitted into private hospitals in Klang Valley.

Dr Kuljit also thanked the Ministry of Health (MOH)-owned ProtectHealth Corporation — which manages private medical practitioners administering Covid-19 vaccines — and the Ministry of Science, Innovative and Technology (MOSTI) for involving private hospitals in PICK.

According to Dr Kuljit, about 1.5 million people — mainly from the Klang Valley — have received complete vaccination with the help of private hospitals and ambulatory centres nationwide.

“We, in private hospitals, will abide by all policies and directions given by the government in the process of vaccination and managing this pandemic,” Dr Kuljit said in a statement today.

Dr Kuljit added private health care facilities in the country are ready to extend their services and support for PICK when needed by the government.

“At any time, we will give our support as requested by the government and will not question or dispute the arrangements made by all the government stakeholders,” he said.

“Selected private hospitals would now have private vaccination for those who require them at their request and also to be prepared in the event of booster doses in the future.”

At the same time, APHM also requested the government to allow different types of vaccines in the private market in order to give a wider choice to members of the public who are willing to pay for the Covid-19 vaccine.

“Our plea is to have a wider range of vaccine types made available to the paying patients which will further strengthen the herd immunity. This will decrease the hesitancy when the public is given a choice to pick the type of vaccine.”

It is to be noted that the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) has decided to close 32 PPVs in the Klang Valley this month, including PPVs in private clinics, as all Klang Valley adults have purportedly received at least the first Covid-19 dose under the Operation Surge Capacity (OSC).

As of yesterday, 108.2 per cent of adults in Klang Valley have at least received their first dose, including undocumented migrants and non-residents. 

Nevertheless, Malaysians can still obtain Covid-19 vaccines through walk-in registration in 13 PPVs across Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, and Putrajaya from today, whereas foreigners can book vaccine appointments on MySejahtera, PICK’s hotline, or online.

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