Malaysia experiences a surge in demand for influenza vaccines following the death of Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu and a flu outbreak in Japan. While the government's vaccination drive for senior citizens remains unaffected by a temporary shortage, private clinics face difficulties meeting the demand, leading to price hikes.
A surge in demand for influenza vaccination has followed the death of Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu due to pneumonia complications from influenza, alongside a flu outbreak in Japan. This has led to a temporary shortage of certain influenza shots in the market, particularly for private medical facilities.
However, a flu vaccination drive for senior citizens with comorbidities, scheduled to begin this month at over 500 health clinics nationwide, will have enough vaccine supplies thanks to adequate government stock. The Health Ministry's programme is unaffected by the temporary shortage, with a source stating that government supplies are sufficient to meet the needs of participating seniors. Initially, the influenza vaccination drive was targeted at health frontliners. However, according to a January 24 circular signed by Health director-general Datuk Dr Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan, it will now also include senior citizens with at least one comorbidity. Last year, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad announced that Putrajaya planned to offer free influenza shots to senior citizens as part of the National Immunisation Programme (NIP) from 2025.The Health Ministry clarified on Friday that there is currently no rising trend of influenza cases in Malaysia and no reported cases of avian influenza in humans. Despite this, the shortage and high demand for influenza vaccines have led to price increases at some private clinics. According to Federation of Private Medical Practitioners Associations Malaysia president Dr Shanmuganathan TV Ganeson, flu jabs typically cost between RM65 and RM95, depending on location. However, due to the surge in demand, prices have reportedly increased to RM90 and even RM150, with outbound travelers particularly willing to pay extra to secure vaccination. While some clinics may have stockpiled vaccines earlier, others may have raised prices due to the high demand. On the other hand, Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia President Dr Kuljit Singh stated that there has been no increase in influenza jab prices at private hospitals.
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