The state government has detected a doctor at a private clinic in Alor Star who has been spreading anti-vaccine sentiments.
Kedah Health and Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Dr Mohd Hayati Othman said the doctor’s action was detected from a video he uploaded urging members of the public not to take the Covid-19 inoculation because the vaccine’s halal status was doubtful.
He added that although the doctor did not violate any medical ethics, the act was nevertheless not morally correct.
Dr Mohd Hayati said he was made to understand that the medical practitioner was quite influential and was a panellist in a television programme.
“As a medical doctor, he should help the government to encourage people to get vaccinated.
“This was, however, not the case, his argument (on the issue) may cause people who have seen the video to cancel their intention to register or receive vaccination,” he said here, today.
Dr Mohd Hayati hoped the public would not be easily be taken in with the doctor’s allegations, as the status of the Covid-19 vaccine was already known to be halal.
He said the Covid-19 vaccine had been reasoned (ijtihad) as being halal by the mufti in Malaysia, as well as Islamic scholars from Al-Azhar University, Egypt, who said the vaccination is required in the interest of health and one’s life.
“He (the doctor) told the people that the vaccine’s ingredients were derived from pig, that is a matter of debate, as the feedback from mufti’s and ijtihad scholars was not merely through the word of mouth but referred from sacred scripture.
“Similarly, also with the recent ‘mak teh’ audio, don’t believe all that, keep signing up (for the vaccine) and come on the date of the appointment,” he said.
He said the authorities had also advised the doctor to stop such non-authentic news which would influence others.
Yesterday, it was reported that more than 10,000 residents in Kedah had failed to attend their vaccination appointments. – NST