PUTRAJAYA: The Ministry of Health (MOH) has given assurances that it will disclose data on the adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) resulting from COVID-19 vaccines at a time to be determined, says its Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
Without specifying a definitive timeframe, he said it was his responsibility as Minister of Health, and he had previously raised in post-Cabinet meetings for AEFI reports to be made public.
“After all, we (MOH) are not trying to hide anything. We will be responsible to the people and the public.
“(This is because) it (data) is requested by many parties including the public. We have kept (records) on the AEFI, indeed we have a register and indeed there is, everything in the data, including those who have died, we have kept (the records),“ he told reporters after the pre-launch ceremony of Malaysia International Healthcare (MIH) Megatrends 2024 here today.
He was responding to a question on whether there were any reports of cases of thrombosis with “thrombocytopenia” syndrome linked to AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine in Malaysia, following a report released on the matter in Indonesia yesterday.
According to a Bernama report yesterday, the National Commission for the Study and Prevention of Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) committee, the Ministry of Health, and the Food and Drug Authority (BPOM) of Indonesia confirmed that there had been no reports received of cases of thrombosis with “thrombocytopenia” syndrome associated with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in the country.
Meanwhile, when asked if he had received an explanation from pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca regarding the side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine, Dr Dzulkefly said he was still waiting for an official explanation on the matter.
Previously, Dr Dzulkefly was reported to have stated that the company should be responsible by providing thorough and transparent explanations not only to Malaysia, but to the entire world to avoid public concerns.
Meanwhile, he said the three-day MIH Megatrends conference would serve as a platform to gather around 1,000 healthcare industry players to share expertise on the latest health strategies and best solutions through smart collaboration among various parties.
“The outcomes of the Megatrends will be crucial for advancing medical science, improving healthcare delivery, fostering collaboration and promoting continuous learning among professionals,“ he said.
Earlier, he also witnessed the signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding between MOH and KPJ Healthcare Berhad which will be the ministry’s strategic partner for MIH Megatrends 2024 which is scheduled to take place in Kuala Lumpur from Oct 25 to Oct 27.
