KAPIT: The Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine delivery trial programme to Belaga Health Clinic went on smoothly today.
Deputy Minister of Health II Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang said the trial programme was very important before the actual Covid-19 vaccine is received by the Ministry of Health (MoH) and used in vaccination centres throughout Malaysia.
“As we all know the Pfizer vaccine requires being stored at ultra-cold temperature of minus 75°C, which poses a challenge in the distribution process of this vaccine,” he said when met at the Belaga Health Clinic.
He said therefore the objective of the programme was to see and make sure that the retention of the ultra-cold temperature (-75°C) Pfizer vaccine is guaranteed during the delivery period from the manufacturer in Belgium to Belaga Health Clinic.
The trail programme can assess the feasibility of the processes involved in the handling of Covid-19 vaccine throughout the country and draft the Covid-19 Vaccine Handling Guide that is being developed by MoH.
“We have witnessed receiving the thermal shipper used to store the Pfizer vaccine during the delivery process from the manufacturer.
“We can also gain a clearer vision on how the thermal shipper should be handled, assessment of the storage temperature, vaccine transferred to the storage area (top loading refrigerator) and return of the thermal shipper to the suppliers,” he explained.
Aaron assured that the MoH would evaluate the programme and identity any weaknesses so that it could be improved to ensure the implementation of the Covid-19 immunisation plan runs smoothly in the future.
The thermal shipper was flown from Belgium on Monday to Singapore and arrived in Kuching on Thursday (Jan 28).
It was then taken to Bintulu by Pfizer’s team and MoH before arriving at the Belaga Health Clinic in Friday afternoon.
Also present were State Health (Public Health) deputy director Dr Rosemawati Ariffin, Bintulu Resident Jack Aman Luat, and Pfizer Sdn Bhd Company Public Affairs Market (Malaysia/Brunei/Pakistan) director Zuriayah Sham Zainal Abidin.
