A TOP medical official has defended Brunei Darussalam’s costly free-for-all national HIN1 vaccination programme, saying that the cost of doing nothing would be far higher than the money spent immunising every member of the public.

This statement came after a strong indication yesterday from medical officials that the country will eventually need to import hundreds of thousands more doses of the costly HIN1 flu vaccines to cover the whole population.

Speaking to the Bulletin, Dr Maslina Hj Mohsin, Director of Health Services at the Ministry of Health, said that the vaccines would be provided free to all citizens and foreign residents on a voluntary basis.
But if the demands for the vaccines are high, the Ministry of Health may need to import further supplies. In addition, the shelf life of the vaccines is about a year, she explained, the same as the other common flu vaccines.

Brunei’s population is currently estimated to be around 400,000 with an additional hundreds of thousands of foreign workers and their families here in the country, and according to the World Health Organisation Bulletin, the H1N1 flu vaccine will cost countries as much as $20 per dose.

Dr Maslina explained that some 100,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccines are hoped to arrive by the end of the year. Some 44,000 batches arrived last week adding to the already 6,000 doses imported previously, out of which 2,000 doses have already been used to immunise Bruneian Haj pilgrims.

The next batch of 12,000 doses is scheduled to arrive in a few days and a further batch of 38,000 should arrive soon after, bringing the total number of stocks to 100,000 doses by the end of the year.

Previously, the health ministry announced that the vaccines are reserved for people with the highest risk of suffering severe side effects from the flu including patients aged above six months-old that are suffering from chronic health conditions.

Following the arrival of the additional 44,000 doses last week, the frontline medical officers and staff dealing directly with patients will also get vaccinated.

These flu shots are also available for those travelling long distance to cold countries.

Brunei’s Minister of Health, Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awg Hj Suyoi Hj Osman, alongside other top brass in the medical and health services yesterday made a visit to the Vaccination Centre at Jalan Ong Sum Ping marking the move to vaccinate the frontliners.

Media covering the event were also given the privilege to receive their vaccinations yesterday ahead of the announcement for the general public.

Speaking to the Bulletin, the Director of Health Services said that once the other stocks arrive, there will be enough for the whole population and foreign residents here in Brunei, but at the moment vaccines are still not available for the general public until an announcement is made.

“You have to wait for further announcement from the ministry before you can announce in your paper that it is available for the general public,” Dr Maslina indicated.

“Currently, the priority is for those who are most at risk, patients who are suffering from chronic conditions, such as chronic lungs, heart, kidneys, neurological chronic, immunisation deficient patients and those who are travelling to cold countries,” she further clarified.

According to Dr Maslina, once a person receives the vaccination, there is a chance that the person may have “manageable flu symptoms” like the common cold and some light muscle pain in their upper arm.

However, during the last few weeks, the Bulletin also learnt that some people who are travelling overseas had already approached the health centres for vaccinations, but at that time were not available for the public.

These people told the Bulletin, it is high time that the vaccines are made available as soon as possible. This is already indications that public demands for the vaccines are strong in Brunei, some public members said.
In some countries, long queues associated with mass vaccinations at immunisation centres are common during the first three days of a public announcement.

Dr Maslina explained that at the moment the ministry had opened five vaccination centres though out the country. In the Brunei-Muara District, the vaccination centres are at the Vaccination Centre in Jalan Ong Sum Ping, the Berakas A Health Centre in Kg Anggerek Desa, the Jubli Perak Health Centre in Sengkurong and at RIPAS Hospital.

In Belait, the vaccination centres are located at the Sufi Seri Begawan Hospital and the Sg Liang Health Centre. Vaccination centres are also located at Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah Hospital in Tutong and a hospital in Temburong.

Once announced, the general public may then go for the free vaccination at any of the designated health centres in the country.

When asked about the probability of the virus mutating and what would happen to the vaccines, Dr Maslina explained that so far the virus has not mutated, and like other flu viruses, the H1N1 vaccines are designed to be valid for one year.

According to Dr Maslina, an extensive review of the vaccination has shown side effects that are no different from those of seasonal flu vaccines.

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