PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia has called on vaccine inequity to be addressed immediately with more equitable distribution and dose delivery swapping by countries that have excess supply. Khairy said understanding the importance of transparent sharing and real-time data, Malaysia uploads comprehensive data sets daily for anyone to access. At the meeting, Malaysia also raised what has been described as the silent “parallel pandemic” – the deterioration of mental health, especially among young people. “Lockdowns, movement restrictions together with unemployment and financial security have led to a spike in the number of people seeking mental health support across the globe. Malaysia has launched a strategic plan for mental health, highlighting inter-sectoral collaboration and crisis preparedness in addressing mental health issues including suicide and suicidal behaviours; as well as surveillance for early detection of cases that would allow prompt monitoring and timely intervention.
