KOTA KINABALU – The federal government should adopt the “Labuan approach” for Sabah to achieve its vaccination target as soon as possible, said the Federation of Chinese Associations Sabah.
Its president, Tan Sri T.C. Goh, said the number of daily Covid-19 cases in the Federal Territory has significantly dropped after the majority of its population received both doses of the coronavirus vaccine under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.
“The latest official data indicates that Sabah is still the state with the lowest vaccination rate in the country, (in terms of) either one dose or two doses.
“Hence, there is an urgent need for the federal government to strive harder to better improve the vaccination rate in in the state.”
Drawing comparisons between the vaccination rates in Labuan and Sabah, Goh said 61.9% of the population in the former have completed their first dose, and 42.7% completed the second dose; 90% of people who completed the first dose are those 18 and above, while 62% of adults have completed the second dose.
Goh was commenting on Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah’s recent statement that daily Covid-19 cases and hospitalisations in Labuan have significantly dropped following a vaccination boost among its population.
Sabah Health director Dr Rose Nani Mudin said her department is in the midst of mobilising 26,000 healthcare workers to improve the vaccination rate in the state.
Efforts, including increasing doses at vaccination centres (PPVs) statewide, are being implemented to expedite immunisation, she added.
She said clinical examinations will also be simplified, whereby only individuals with health issues will be given physical check-ups at PPVs to smoothen the process. – The Vibes, July 19, 2021
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