BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

AS MANY as 7,000 people in Brunei have taken the H1N1 vaccine, while another 120,000 doses of the vaccine are still available and more doses are expected to arrive by the end of January.

Acting Minister of Health Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Laila Diraja Dato Paduka Hj Hazair Hj Abdullah said that Brunei will receive about 300,000 doses of the vaccine by the end of this month, and could possibly receive more, if the need arises.

Speaking during the visit to the Berakas ‘A’ vaccination centre in Anggerek Desa yesterday, he said that the 7,000 people who had been administered the H1N1 jabs included those who completed their Haj pilgrimage last year.

He advised the public to get the H1N1 vaccine shots as soon as possible as the virus is still lurking within the country.

“When I visited Sengkurong (Jubli Perak Health Centre) earlier, it’s good to see that there were many people registering for the vaccines, so the awareness is there now and in the coming weeks, the take-ups will be increasing,” the acting minister said.

“It is also important that the public is still practising the health advisories (practising good hygiene) that we have given out (since the outbreak of the pandemic in the Sultanate) because H1N1 is still lurking and people are talking about a second wave (of H1N1),” he added.

The Influenza A (H1N1) vaccination shot is now available to the public, including foreigners residing in the country.

“When the first shipment arrived, due to the limited number of available doses, we had to prioritise the high-risk group of people in the country, such as the pregnant women, people with chronic diseases, those over the age of six months and those who went for their Haj recently,” he said.

The first shipment of 1,500 H1N1 doses of vaccines arrived in Brunei early November.

Pehin Dato Hj Hazair added that foreigners holding valid (green) identity cards (ICs) will be able to get free H1N1 vaccination shots.

“The expatriates just need to present their IC while registering for the (vaccination) shots and they will get it for free,” he explained.

The acting minister also assured the public to not be worried about any side effects of the vaccination shots as they were just “mild”.

Known side effects of the vaccine include headaches, sweating, fever, muscle and joint aches, fatigue and shivering, he explained.

“Don’t worry, there are no serious adverse side effects,” the acting minister reassured.

According to a Ministry of Health (MoH) information leaflet on the H1N1 vaccine, the vaccination shots are given as a single dose or two doses with an interval of 28 days, depending on an individual’s age and condition. A scheduled second injection will be provided if necessary.

The MoH will introduce two additional makeshift vaccination centres in Brunei-Muara District by early next month at the latest to encourage the public to receive their H1N1 vaccination shots, said its acting minister yesterday.

The acting minister added that the two new makeshift centres were selected because of their “strategic and ideal” locations. The identified locations, he said, were on the first floor of the Indoor Stadium of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas and at Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD).

While other details of the makeshift vaccination centres had yet to be furnished, the acting minister said that the arrangement was “currently under process” and that arrangements have been made with the relevant and involved authorities.

He added that the two additional centres will be operational by the end of the month or no later than early February.

Brunei already has several vaccination centres set up nationwide, including at Ong Sum Ping Health Centre’s Vaccination Centre in the capital, the Berakas ‘A’ health centre in Anggerek Desa, Jubli Perak health centre in Sengkurong, Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (Ripas) Hospital, Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Hj Al-Muhtadee Billah Hospital in Tutong, Suri Seri Begawan Hospital and Sungai Liang Health Centre in Belait and Pengiran Isteri Hajah Mariam Hospital in Temburong.

The visit by health officials yesterday also inspected vaccination centres at the Jubli Perak Health Centre in Sengkurong and Ripas Hospitalto ensure orderly preparation at the centres.

The Brunei Times

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