By Sue-Ann Wayow
CITIZENS should not fear taking the Sinopharm vaccine manufactured in China as it has a key role to play in the vaccination against Covid-19.
Member of Parliament for Fyzabad and medical doctor Dr Lackram Bodoe who received his vaccine three weeks ago said that he has advocated from the onset that rapid vaccination to achieve herd immunity was the best bet out of this Covid-19 pandemic.
And MP for Cumuto/Manzanilla Dr Rai Ragbir said he has endorsed the use of the Sinopharm vaccine in Trinidad and Tobago but nothing was wrong with raising concerns.
At a virtual media conference on Monday, Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh singled out Opposition MPs Dr Bodoe and Dr Ragbir asking them to strip their political differences and let their medical expertise be heard.
He encouraged Dr Bodoe and Dr Ragbir to speak truth as concerns were raised by Opposition colleague Dr Roodal Moonilal about the Sinopharm vaccines who challenged Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to take that vaccine first when it arrives in Trinidad and Tobago.
“When you hang up your medical degrees on the walls of your offices, you have a larger public duty and your Hippocratic Oath says “First do no harm,” Deyalsingh said.
He asked, “My question to Dr Lackram Bodoe and Dr Rai Ragbir, are you going to step up?”
Dr Bodoe told AZPNews.com that with only 60,000 citizens having received their first vaccine, T&T was still way behind the target of 700,000 adults.
He said that he agreed previously with the Government’s decision to use only World Health Organization (WHO) approved vaccines.
Dr Bodoe said, “The arrival of 100,000 Sinopharm vaccines provides another opportunity to continue our vaccination program. The WHO review suggests a high level of confidence in the efficacy of this vaccine against PCR confirmed Covid-19 in adults 18 to 59 years after two doses . It also appears that the risk of severe adverse events is low. More than 65 million Sinopharm vaccines have been administered worldwide in several countries.”
He added, “I respect the right of others to raise queries and voice concerns in what is new and rapidly evolving territory However, in the circumstances, as a medical practitioner, I believe there is a role for the Sinopharm vaccine in our nation’s vaccination program.”
He encourages all persons who qualify to get vaccinated at the soonest opportunity.
“I remain committed, as I have stated before, both as a doctor and Opposition MP to work with the Government to bring us out of this national crisis. I urge citizens to follow all public health regulations as we battle this deadly Covid-19 pandemic.”
And Dr Ragbir also spoke about the issue at the United National Congress (UNC) virtual meeting on Monday night.
Dr Ragbir said, “We have agreed and endorsed the Sinopharm vaccine for use in T&T.”
He said the United Arab Emirates has used this vaccine in 76% of the elderly and they had no mortality and no major illnesses. In March, Guyana used it on 20,000 members of its population and no adverse effects were reported.
But he also said he agreed with Dr Moonilal in asking certain questions regarding the vaccines created in the country in which the virus was first reported.
“We are saying go ahead and take it. We are not fighting among ourselves. We ask questions to get a credible answer,” Dr Ragbir said.
Addressing Deyalsingh directly, he said, “The Minister of Health, when you make these sort of derogatory statements about some of our clinicians and what not and put us on a front, you create a social barrier.”
He emphasised that the Opposition was willing to work together with Government to have as many citizens as possible vaccinated.
He said Government needed to properly educate the public on vaccine information, use and effects.
