JUNE , 2023 | THE HEALTH

| The Health says ... |

P20-21

A re-think in strategy needed Calls to consider alternative treatment protocols against Covid-19

P22

The brain needs fuel - but the right type Incorporating some essential habits in our daily life will help our brain function optimally

P23

A compassionate approach It is essential to support adolescents who show self-harming behaviour with the right treatment

P24

What to expect in perimenopause and menopause Hot flashes and disturbed sleep are common hallmarks of menopause , but many women remain unaware of the facts surrounding this natural process

P25

Heart attacks rise among the young We must ask ourselves why heart attacks among those under 40 have risen in the last 10 years

P26

What are clinical trials ? Behind every innovative medicine , treatment and therapy is a clinical trial . Here ’ s a closer look at how they work

P27

This key health metric still evades gadget makers Measuring blood pressure has been around for more than a century , but is proving tricky to digitise

But to date , taxpayers don ’ t know the exact purchase prices paid for each vaccine dose . Not surprisingly , it gave rise to unnecessary speculation .

In January 2021 , then Science , Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin and Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said they had revealed vaccine purchasing contracts and prices to Parliament ’ s Public Accounts Committee ( PAC ). Khairy said the two ministries volunteered to appear before the PAC to ensure transparency in the vaccine procurement .

However , there was a caveat . Khairy said they could only provide as many details as allowed by the non-disclosure agreement ( NDA ) signed with the pharmaceutical companies supplying the vaccines . He added the exact purchase price details were revealed to the PAC .

However , in February this year , Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the relevant ministers signed off parts of the procurement of the vaccines without the agreement of the Attorney-General ’ s Chambers ( AGC ). He said the Health Ministry would present a white paper on the procurement and the costs involved in Parliament .

In June , the white paper was presented . Then came the shocker . Former PAC chairman Wong Kah Woh disclosed that PAC members had refused to sign the NDA in January 2021 . He said they were given affidavits of secrecy to sign , but none did .

Taxpayers do not know what the NDA clauses are . Were these NDA clauses designed to deny taxpayers the right to know details and pricing of the procurement process ?

The government might claim that the vaccine companies requested the NDA clauses , but it must also explain why the clause is needed and why it went ahead by-passing the AGC . If the purchase price can be disclosed to the PAC members , why not the public ? Aren ’ t the PAC members representing the public ?

The procurement of the vaccine by the previous government has been mired in controversy . Besides pricing , there were allegations of delays despite a premium paid to accelerate delivery . How was the premium determined ?

Also , why was the number of vaccine doses ordered more than what the country needed ? How many vaccine doses were donated by countries like the US and China to Malaysia during the pandemic ?

Malaysians have the right to know the answers to these pressing questions .