KOTA KINABALU – The pandemic situation in Sabah has hit a critical level, contrary to what the Sabah government is saying, said Warisan deputy president Datuk Darell Leiking.
In a statement yesterday, the Penampang MP blamed the situation on the Sabah government’s lack of courage to demand immediate delivery of essential medical supplies and apparatus for Sabah’s hospitals.
“Let us all admit that the real pandemic situation in Sabah is not as what they (the state government) said it to be and, in fact, Sabah is in a serious and critical medical situation.
“The Sabah government must now declare that there is a clear and present danger to the health of Sabahans and present an emergency allocation to supplement what the federal government has continuously failed to do for Sabah,” he said.
Leiking said that there have been talk of an alleged “standing order” being issued to doctors and nurses at Queen Elizabeth Hospital here to prioritise younger patients over the elderly due to the lack of intensive care unit (ICU) beds and equipment.
“Time and time again, Warisan and throngs of Sabahans, be it in print or social media, have reminded the state government to be assertive when dealing with the then Perikatan Nasional-led federal government, and now BN.
“But they (state government) have seemed to ignore it, or if they have attempted to liaise with their federal leaders, have been ignored by their federal political masters instead.
“If at all they had assertively demanded from the federal government, then why do we continue to hear not only from social media but also from their own state assemblymen of vaccine shortages at PPVs (vaccination centres)?” he questioned.
Leiking also said that there have been reports of oxygen tanks and ventilators from Beluran and Kinabatangan rushed to Duchess of Kent Hospital in Sandakan, another tell-tale sign of how the state government lacks foresight in its fight against the pandemic.
“Has the state government initiated any allocation to purchase ventilators and oxygen tanks to supplement infected Sabahans at all hospitals in Sabah?
“If the state government had only a little bit more foresight, it should have anticipated which district would require these tanks based on daily reported new cases,” he said.
He also pointed out a need for Sabah to have more PCR test centres other than the existing two here and in Lahad Datu to avoid a backlog of cases and to accurately gauge which district requires more oxygen tanks and medical instruments.
As such, Leiking urged the Sabah government to demand from the federal government the following:
- start engaging the expertise and facilities available by private clinics in Sabah and even outside Sabah (as an addition when Sabah-based medical doctors have been fully utilised);
- engage medical experts in the military to combine their current strategic approach to resolve the pandemic in Sabah;
- to immediately deal directly with vaccine producers to procure additional vaccines or even consider taking up excess vaccine supplies as loans from Selangor;
- to secure more single-shot vaccines, such as CanSino and similar products;
- to allocate state funds towards the purchase of oxygen tanks, ventilators and essential medical utensils and medication; and,
- to secure medical experts with experience in treating Covid-19 patients.
Leiking also proposed the state government allocate an aggrievement entitlement of not less than RM5,000 to immediate family members of Covid-19 fatalities. – The Vibes, September 3, 2021
