Dr Sim says health authorities taking steps to halt spread of disease
KUCHING: A total of 823 tuberculosis (TB) cases have been reported in Sarawak from January to April 6 this year compared to 792 cases for the corresponding period last year.
Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian said this was an increase of 3.9 per cent.
“The Sarawak Health Department is taking steps to detect as many cases as possible through systematic screening and to start early treatment in order to halt and control the spread of disease,” he said in his winding up speech for the ministry at the State Legislative Assembly here yesterday.
Sim revealed that the department had developed a plan of action against the TB threat.
“In implementing the tuberculosis control programme for the 2019-2021 period, more undetected cases can be detected through various levels of services, including through community involvement,” he said.
(For the record, according to medical statistics, 3,121 tuberculosis cases were detected in Sarawak for the whole of last year – an increase of 11.6 per cent compared to 2,797 cases in 2017.
Sarawak had 2,857 cases in 2016, while in 2015 there were 2,575 cases.
A total of 237 persons in the state died from the disease in 2018 compared to 214 in 2015, 256 in 2016, and 272 in 2017.)
On rabies, Sim said as of April 11, 2019, 11 Divisions were affected by the rabies outbreak, namely Serian, Kuching, Sri Aman, Samarahan, Betong, Sarikei, Sibu, Kapit, Mukah, Bintulu and Miri.
“A total of 24,428 cases of animal bites from the outbreak areas have been reported to the Sarawak Health Department since July 1, 2017.
“Out of this number, 8,370 high risk bite cases have received vaccination while the number of human rabies remained at 17.”
Sim added the department had organised 882 rabies awareness campaigns which were attended by 143,570 people.
“Up to-date, 125,763 brochures have been distributed to the community and 535 posters and banners placed at strategic locations to create awareness of the rabies outbreak,” he said.
On dengue, Sim said that Malaysia was experiencing a nationwide increase in the cases.
“As of April 6, 2019, there are 477 recorded dengue cases in Sarawak compared to 151 cases for the same period last year,” he said.
Sim added that the Sarawak Health Department was committed to working closely with other non-health agencies to further prevent and reduce dengue cases in the state.
The minister also revealed that the department was continuously expanding specialty services to district hospitals including the hospitals in Serian, Limbang, Sarikei and Kapit.
Sim also talked about the construction of new health clinics or restoration of old ones in Daro, Long Lama, Maludam, Sungai Asap, Simunjan and Serian.
He said that plans to set up health clinics at Metalun, Tegulang, Long Urun, Ulu Sungai Linau, Nanga Pelagus, Long Napir, Nanga Sama and Ulu Jejalong would be put on hold for the time being.
On the setting up of a special scheme to assist e-kasih recipients in rural areas to obtain medical aid, Sim said,
“My ministry will work closely with the Welfare, Community, Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Ministry and the Sarawak Health Department to study the feasibility of this proposal.”
He revealed that the Fire and Rescue Department Sarawak planned to have 10,244 firefighting volunteers by 2025.
The department, he added, had carried out 539 public awareness programmes on fire safety from January to March this year and set up 10 new firefighting community teams with 162 members.
Sim revealed that in the first quarter of this year, the Fire and Rescue Department received 2,241 emergency calls compared to 2,602 during the same period last year.
“There is an increase in fire outbreaks from 404 to 711, mainly due to bush fires in Miri during the same period,” he added.
