Allowing Private Healthcare Operators to Procure COVID-19 Vaccine

Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked the Minister for Health since the private healthcare sector is mobilised to support the Government’s mass COVID-19 vaccination programme (a) whether the private healthcare sector can be allowed to procure vaccines approved by the Ministry to provide vaccinations to patients; and (b) what will be the criteria to approve the import of vaccines and execute the vaccination.

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has established the Pandemic Special Access Route (PSAR) to facilitate access to critical novel therapeutics and vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Imports under this route are only allowed if they are for or on behalf of the Government.

Only COVID-19 vaccines that are approved by HSA under PSAR and endorsed by the Expert Committee on COVID-19 Vaccination to have met our high safety, quality and efficacy standards are allowed for use in Singapore.

We thank the private healthcare sector who have mobilised their resources in support of the Government’s COVID-19 vaccination programme. There are limited supplies of vaccines globally. Our vaccines have arrived progressively since end 2020, and we expect to have sufficient vaccines for our population by the third quarter of 2021 if our orders are delivered on time. MOH has prioritised access to vaccinations for those who need them most critically, such as our seniors, healthcare and frontline workers, and those in critical essential services. We urge the private healthcare sector to work with the Government within the national vaccination programme, so that vaccines can be rolled out to our population expeditiously and in an orderly manner.