Covid-19: Sarawak spent RM300mil on it’s vaccination programme, says Uggah

SIBU: The State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) has so far spent a total of RM300mil for its Covid-19 vaccination programme in the state.

Its chairman, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said that the expenditure also included the provision of support facilities for the treatment of Covid-19.

“This does not involve the cost of buying vaccines because vaccines are provided free of charge by the central government.

“This is for the operation of the Covid-19 vaccination service.”

“This includes transportation expenses, food, hotel payments for quarantine, field hospitals, screening tests and so on related to vaccination services including the provision of support facilities for the treatment of Covid-19,” he told reporters after attending the Central Zone’s Covid-19 Frontliners Joint Appreciation Night on Saturday (Aug 27).

Uggah, who is also the Deputy Premier of Sarawak, said conducting vaccination services in the state was not an easy task because many areas were difficult to reach as they were in the very remote areas.

“For example, carrying out vaccination drives in upstream Baram, upstream Batang Rajang, and other remote areas require boats and helicopters as well as the fuel to get there,” he stressed.

According to him, the main priority despite the challenge was to save people’s lives by vaccinating as many people as possible and as soon as possible.

“Without the allocation, our vaccination programme would have been slower. However, Sarawak recorded the fastest vaccination rate in the country,” he added.

Separately Uggah also expressed his concern that 7.1% of those eligible to get the second booster dose had yet to get the injection. He urged them to get the injection immediately.

He also did not rule out the possibility that people were still worried about receiving the injection.

He advised the group to prioritize protecting themselves.

In addition, he also reminded those in the public who were experiencing symptoms to do a self-examination or visit a nearby hospital immediately.

“Now at the hospital, we already have Antiviral drugs to treat Covid-19 and will be given to those who are eligible and in need,” he added.

Asked about the situation of Covid-19 in the state, he said the number fluctuated but said the epidemic was still there.

“This epidemic is still with us but we can live as usual because many of the population have received their respective vaccinations but we must be careful,” he added.