KUALA LUMPUR: The government should make clear the circumstances that warrants a compensation to be made in the RM10 million Special Financial Aid for Severe Adverse Covid-19 Effects.
Malaysia Muslim Consumers Association (PPIM) lead activist Datuk Nadzim Johan said it was crucial for vaccine recipients who may face adverse effects after being immunised, to be provided with more details.
The announcement by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba on the special aid recently was not in depth, said Nadzim.
He said it was not properly defined the degree of serious side effects and need of long term medical care which provides a compensation of RM50,000; as well as RM500,000 for those face permanent disabilities or death.
"Until all these information are clearly spelt out, it will only cause more confusion. We have received queries from frontliners who wondered if they were able to claim for compensation as they became unwell and were unable to go to work after being inoculated.
"There were queries from concerned people who wondered if their family members could claim for death compensation if it was not proven that one had died because of the vaccine but due to a pre-existing medical condition after getting the doses.
"Would their compensation be challenged if that is the case? Those who had reached out to us are at a loss. So its important that this is addressed and the compensation process should be made easy," said Nadzim in a press conference today.
Nadzim suggested that a Covid-19 Special Support Group is formed by the Health Ministry to tackle queries from vaccine recipients as the nation gears towards Phase 2 and 3 of the National Immunisation Programme.
He said it would help greatly to drive vaccine registration and boost confidence among the population amid reported cases of side effects such as dizziness, fever, chills, fatigue as well as blood clots.