COVID-19: Sarawak allocates RM81 mln for Jan - Jun 2021

KUCHING, Jan 19  -- The Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) has received an allocation of RM81 million from the state government to manage the COVID-19 pandemic situation for the period of January to June this year, said its chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas today.

Uggah, who is also Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister I, said that the allocation showed that the state government was always diligent in providing all facilities to curb the spread of COVID-19.

“The Sarawak government will ensure that JPBN is provided with all the necessities so that we can provide the best services to the people.

“I also appeal, as the allocation (from the government) alone is not enough for us to fight this pandemic, that cooperation from the people to comply with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) set is highly expected,” he said at the COVID-19 daily press conference here today.

Uggah added that Kapit would be the latest division in the state to be equipped with a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test laboratory following the increasing number of COVID-19 screening samples in the area, and it was included in the said allocation.

“The Kapit health department applied to set up a PCR test laboratory there to expedite the testing process because many samples have taken too long to get results,” he said.

Also at the same press conference, state health director Dr Chin Zin Hing explained that the capacity of beds for COVID-19 patients at Sibu Hospital has reached 79 per cent, and four COVID-19 Quarantine and Low-risk Treatment Centres (PKRC) have been set up in the city.

These four PKRCs are at Methodist Centennial which can accommodate 94 beds, Kemuyang Camp (123 Beds), Malaysian Health Training Institute, Sibu (156 Beds) and Desa Sanyan Hotel (800 beds), which can be used starting a week from now.

“At the same time, some patients have recovered and were discharged from time to time. We are confident that Sibu Hospital and the new facilities will be able to treat COVID-19 patients, despite the increasing number of cases,” he said.

-- BERNAMA