KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is hoping to achieve herd immunity by end of this year.
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Its Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor expressed his confidence as the state intensifies efforts and strategies which will see its 2.9 million population get inoculated.
However, to achieve this the people must register for the vaccination programme.
As of June 13, only 670,282 people or 22.9 per cent of the targeted population in Sabah have registered for vaccination.
He said under the vaccination programme between Feb 26 and June 13, a total of 249,945 or 8.5 per cent of the targeted 2,932,700 Sabah population received their first dose of vaccine.
Sabah recorded daily vaccination of 13,000 people and by July, it expects 30,000 to be vaccinated daily.
“Various efforts are being carried out to increase the number of people being vaccinated such as opening up more PPV (vaccine administration centres ) and intensifying mobile outreach programme,” he said at a press conference after inspecting facilities at Wisma Wanita, which is now one of the PPV here.
Wisma Wanita is one of the 16 new PPV opened this month in addition to 95 currently in operation as the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NIP) is extended to the 18-years and above group.
Currently, 72 of the PPV’s are utilising existing health facilities while 23 are located in public facilities. The 16 new PPV’s would utilise public facilities.
With a capacity of 400 people daily, he said PPV Wisma Wanita which started its operations on Monday is inoculating state and federal public service personnel based in Kota Kinabalu as well as the surrounding community.
He said priority will be given to public service personnel who are constantly on the field and meeting the public such as drivers, dispatchers, counter officers and those in the police force, Water, Immigration and Education Department, among others.
There are 20,549 personnel in the state public service while 107,172 are working at the federal level in Sabah.
Those serving in other districts will receive their vaccines in existing PPV’s in their respective district, he said.
Hajiji said Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) had also opened up its PPV with the capacity of 1,000 people daily on Monday to cater for the university’s lecturers and students as well as nearby residents.
The other PPVs that will operate is the Manggatal Community Centre, Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association Hall, Libaran’s multi-purpose Hall and Balung’s IPG hall.
He said the State Government also appreciated the involvement of the private sector in Sabah’s immunisation programme by allowing their facilities and staff to be utilised for the purpose.
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This month, the Gleneagles Kota Kinabalu Hospital and Rafflesia Medical Centre, as well as 36 other private clinics in the state were also roped in the vaccination programme.
As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), the Pacific Sutera management has also allowed the hotel’s facilities to be used as a PPV.
The Sabah Four Wheel Association has also stepped into volunteer by transporting health workers to the rural community for the outreach programmes.
“The State government also thanked the Federal government for including Sabah in phase four of the Public-Private Partnership COVID-19 Industry Immunisation Programme (PIKAS) that will commence in July,” he said.
Hajiji revealed that the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) with a capacity of 3,500 people daily will also be the vaccines administration centre for PIKAS Sabah to inoculate industrial and economic services workers.
The Chief Minister said the State Health Department has initiated the mobile outreach programme involving 26 teams since May 18 to ensure those in the interior are not left out in the immunisation drive.
The first location will be at Long Pasia on June 24.
Also helping out is the Malaysian Armed Forces, which is sending its medical team to vaccinate people in remote far-flung areas in Sabah through its Jiwa Murni Programme.
Hajiji also thanked the Sabah Four Wheel Drive Association for assisting in transporting medical officers to remote areas in the state.
To get more people particularly in the rural areas to register, the State Information Department together with several federal and state departments and agencies has also intensified the rural community outreach programme.
In terms of the vaccine supply, Hajiji said for June, the doses would be arriving weekly as planned.
“Sabah will be receiving more doses from July onwards.
“This mean the Sabah government does not have to purchase the vaccine because we will be receiving enough supply every week, so we do not have shortage as the arrival of vaccine will be doubled up by July,” he said, adding that so far, the vaccines being used in Sabah were Pfizer, Sinovac and AstraZeneca.
He with the strategies and efforts carried out such as the opening of more PPV, outreach programmes and consistent vaccines supply, the State government was confident that the immunisation programme in Sabah will achieve its herd community goal according to schedule.
Hajiji reiterated his call to the people not to delay in registering for the vaccination programme.
“Let us work together towards achieving herd immunity and stop the spread of Covid-19. Always adhere to the SOP, practice a healthy lifestyle and protect ourselves and our family,” he said.-NST