Search

SDMC spends RM300 million on combating Covid-19

Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp
Telegram
Email
Uggah presenting present to the lucky draw grand prize winner.

SIBU: The Sarawak government allocated a total of RM300 million for the State Disaster Management Committee’s (SDMC) effort to combat Covid-19 in the state since its outbreak.

According to its chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas the fund was for backup facilities such as hotels for quarantine, transportation for vaccination in the remote area, Low-Risk Quarantine and Treatment Centre (PKRC), and other services.

“This (fund) was not for the vaccine doses as it (vaccine) was provided by the federal government, but we needed backup services.
“Transport, food, and our hotel quarantine, as we were the only state paying for the quarantine, for the 14 days when people came back to Sarawak. Those were the costs.

“For example, if we wanted to vaccinate our people at Hulu Batang Rejang, we need a boat, fuel, and helicopter.

“At the same time, under PKRC, we needed field hospitals like what we did in Sibu, Miri, and Bintulu,” he said when met by reporters after attending the Appreciation Night for Covid-19 Fronliners for the Central Region last night (Aug 27).

When asked whether the cost included the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test, Uggah said the state government only funded some of it.

“Some of the Covid tests, we did cover because as I mentioned just now initially our capacity was 2,500 per day but we increased it to 6,000.

“However, in September 2021, our caseload reached 5,000 cases per day, that meant the test (PCR) will be a lot as one person (infected) will at least have 10 close contacts.

“Imagine all the testing we have to pay and send it to Kuala Lumpur and some to the private sector here and this is all funded by the Sarawak government,” he said.

Hence, he thanked the Sarawak government under the leadership of Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg for his continued support for the SDMC to be able to organise all these programmes in their effort in combating Covid-19.

“Without this, our vaccination will be left behind, imagine interior areas such as Ulu Baram, and Ulu Batang Rejang.

“As well as the coastal area, but since we have full support from the state government and our priority is to safe lives that is why we want to make sure the vaccination is done as fast as we can,” he said.

Earlier in his speech the Deputy Premier convey his gratitude to all the frontliners as well as all the donors who have been eager to help the state government fight against the Covid-19 virus.

“We can face whatever challengeas long as we go together, we cooperate and support each other. I know sometimes the SDMC ‘kadang-kadang panas’, but that is in the heat of arguments, everybody has the same objective.

“To save Sarawak from further death and further infection. We have succeeded ladies and gentlemen,” he said.

Download from Apple Store or Play Store.