A TOTAL of 103 prisoners have died due to Covid-19 complications from Aug 29 last year to Oct 12 this year, says Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang.
The Deputy Health Minister said that during this period, 46,550 prisoners contracted Covid-19 with 45,848 individuals having recovered from the disease.
“There are 599 active cases and as of Oct 13, those confirmed positive have dropped to 60 prisoners.
“To date, a total of 187,822 prisoners have been screened for Covid-19,” he said in his reply to Gobind Singh Deo (PH-Puchong), who asked for a status report on the number of Covid-19 cases, as well as the vaccination rate in prisons.
Aaron said 31,691 prisoners have received one dose of the vaccine while another 11,140 have been fully vaccinated.
The number of prisoners who have received the single-dose Covid-19 vaccine stood at 17,181.
“The Home Ministry through the Prisons Department has taken a proactive step by implementing the Covid-19 vaccination programme to inmates.
“It will be continued and improved on, from time to time, under the National Covid-19 Vaccination Programme,” he said.
On another issue, Aaron said the government is contemplating offering the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination to teenage boys aged 13 years and above.
The deputy minister said that at the moment, it was only offered to adolescent girls aged 13 years and above.
He said this after Nurul Izzah Anwar (PH-Permatang Pauh) asked whether the ministry would extend the offer to teenage boys to eliminate cervical cancer in the future.
“I think the deputy minister can make sure that teenage boys can also take the vaccine.
“We can make sure that by 2030, the matter can be fully addressed to reduce the burden of the national healthcare system,” she said.
Aaron said when the procurement of the HPV vaccine is received next year, teenage girls who missed their vaccination this year would be given the jab through the school healthcare system, as previously done.
He said the vaccination was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.