KOTA KINABALU – Sabah hopes to vaccinate up to 30,000 people a day by July, after Putrajaya vows to provide consistent Covid-19 shot supply starting next month.
Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor said public vaccination centres (PPVs) and mobile health units will be increased, and military health units deployed to “double” the number of inoculations next month.
Sabah has started to vaccinate those aged 18 and above under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, which started on February 26, he added.
“The state aims to vaccinate 2,932,700 people, and as of June 13, a total of 249,945 people, or 8.5% (of the state’s population), have received at least the first dose.
“Sabah has, so far, received the Pfizer, Sinovac and AstraZeneca (vaccines). Supplies will begin to arrive weekly based on what has been planned.
“The state will receive more from July onwards. By next month, we are targeting to have 30,000 people vaccinated a day.
“With the strategies planned, the state could achieve herd immunity by year-end.”
Hajiji said 16 new PPVs and mobile outreach teams will be established this month, adding to the existing 95 public PPVs.
The PPVs at Wisma Wanita and Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) have started operations, and can accommodate 400 jabs and 1,000 jabs per day, respectively.
“The Wisma Wanita centre will focus on providing vaccines for federal and state civil servants, as well as the surrounding communities.
“There are 20,549 state civil servants working in Kota Kinabalu, and 107,172 federal officers in Sabah. Priority is given to those who are regularly on the field and meeting people.
“UMS will focus on students and lecturers in higher learning institutions, and nearby communities.”
Another three PPVs will be opened at the Balung IPG Hall, Menggatal Community Hall, and Libaran multipurpose hall in Lahad Datu.
Hajiji said Gleneagles hospital, Rafflesia Medical Centre and 36 other private clinics are involved in the immunisation programme.
The Sutera Harbour Resort has also allowed its hotel to be made into a PPV as part of their corporate social responsibility initiative, he added.
Phase 4 of the Public-Private Partnership Industrial Covid-19 Immunisation Programme will take place at the Sabah International Convention Centre, which will have the capacity to administer 3,500 jabs per day.
The Bersatu lawmaker said 26 mobile outreach teams from the Health Department have been deployed to focus on those in rural areas since May 18.
The teams are being aided by Sabah Four-Wheel Drive Association members, who are driving the personnel to the far-flung areas, he added.
The military has also been roped in under the Jiwa Murni Programme, where military doctors are tasked to administer the shots to remote area residents.
“They are expected to head to Long Pa Sia on June 24,” said Hajiji, adding that he is confident the current strategies will allow the state to achieve herd immunity by year-end. – The Vibes, June 15, 2021
