RM314 million of RM1 billion PICK allocation spent as of end-August

A total of RM314 million out of the RM1 billion allocated to the science, technology and innovation ministry for the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) had been spent as of Aug 30, its minister Dr Adham Baba said today.

Adham said the expenditure included the operational cost of the vaccination centres (PPVs), namely rental and utilities, cleaning and sanitation, disposable equipment as well as the staff welfare.

He said the allocation was also used to strengthen the data integration network and system for the vaccination process through PICK as well as for efforts to increase the vaccine registration rate in each parliamentary constituency.

“The science, technology and innovation ministry, health ministry and related agencies are also improving the contact tracing system including data sources to identify and analyse interactions as well as to determine the details of the risk of the spread of the virus.

“In addition, a tracer hub has been developed to facilitate contact tracing and support activities as well as a vaccine management system for data record keeping and a vaccine certificate verifier application to ensure that a digital vaccine certificate is genuine via QR code,” he said during question time in the Dewan Rakyat.

Adham was replying to Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PH-Pandan) on the cost of PICK and the next strategy to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.

On the RM60 million allocation for the research and development of national vaccine manufacturing, he said the amount included the development of all types of vaccines for both humans and animals.

“The government will also develop a roadmap or strategic plan for the development of national vaccines which will be announced on Nov 1 by the prime minister,” he said.

Replying to a question from Ahmad Maslan (BN-Pontian), Adham said his ministry, through the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF), was optimistic that the efforts implemented through PICK are on track.

“To speed up the vaccination process, CITF through capacity surge operations has successfully vaccinated almost all of the adults in the Klang Valley.

“The focus now is to ensure that at least 60% of the adult population in all states are fully vaccinated and today, we will achieve that target in Sabah,” he said, adding that CITF continues to focus on distributing vaccine supplies to states with high Covid-19 caseloads.