Hospitals ‘should be allowed to import jabs’. A doctor who lost his parents and sister to the coronavirus is urging the government to allow private parties, such as the Private Hospital Association, to directly import vaccines from manufacturers.



 



Hospitals 'should be allowed to import jabs'

BANGKOK: A doctor who lost his parents and sister to the coronavirus is urging the government to allow private parties, such as the Private Hospital Association, to directly import vaccines from manufacturers.

Sitthiphong Lapanich, the doctor, said his sister Saranya Lapanich, a physician at Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital, died of COVID-19 despite already receiving two doses of the Sinovac vaccine.

His parents also died of COVID-19, he said in a Facebook post.

He said he was unsure why only some state agencies were authorised to handle vaccine imports, noting other parties should be granted the same authority.

The mRNA COVID-19 vaccine should be the standard vaccine provided to Thais, especially since only about 25% of the population has been inoculated, he said.

Dr Sitthiphong believes companies and private hospitals are ready to import the vaccine if they are permitted to do so.

However, if the government didn't trust a particular private company to import coronavirus vaccines, it should authorise the Private Hospital Association to do it, Dr Sitthiphong said.

On Wednesday, Dr Anutra Chittinandana, president of the Royal College of Physicians of Thailand, announced the death of Saranya on his Facebook page.

Saranya, also known as Dr Am, was a strong woman and well-liked by colleagues, he said.

Royally sponsored funeral rites for the dead doctor began yesterday and will last until tomorrow, while a royally sponsored cremation ceremony is scheduled to take place on Monday.