Health Ministry to address AstraZeneca vaccine concerns this week, says deputy minister

PUTRAJAYA: By this week, the Health Ministry will address the issues concerning the AstraZeneca vaccine, says its Deputy Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni.

"We will explain the data concerning adverse side effects, as well as the issues and announcements made by AstraZeneca," he said.

He said this to reporters after the International Nurses Day Celebration 2024 here on Sunday (May 12).

"There are reported cases of adverse side effects on vaccinations, but not specifically on AstraZeneca only. The government has the data, and we will announce it as it is important to the public," he said.

ALSO READ: M’sia ceased distributing AstraZeneca vaccine ‘long ago’, says doctor

If side effects from the vaccination surface, he said that the ministry's facilities will be ready to receive them.

The nursing ceremony today was attended by 1200 nurses from the private and public sectors, and the theme was "Our Nurses. Our Future. The Economic Power of Care."

When asked about hiring foreign nurses in the country, Lukanisman said that since last year, foreign nurses have been hired, and the hiring window was expected to be until October this year.

ALSO READ: Covid-19: Health Ministry to issue statement on AstraZeneca vaccine soon, says Dr Dzul

"The recruitment process is very stringent because we don’t want to hire unqualified nurses," he said.

The ministry nursing director, Devi K Saravana Muthu who was also present, said that so far, 101 foreign nurses have been hired, although only in the private sector.

"These nurses are coming from India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and Indonesia and undergo stringent screening," she said.