KUCHING, Jan 23: Sarawak government has urgently allocated funds of RM1 million each to the molecular labs in Limbang and Kapit to run more Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests at local hospitals.
Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian said the state government has also footed the bill for PCR swabs done in Unimas (Universiti Malaysia Sarawak), BMC (Borneo Medical Centre) and Gribbles.
With these arrangements in both public and private hospitals, he said, Sarawak is now able to do more than 6,000 PCR tests per day.
Dr Sim, who is also State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) advisor, also thanked the Ministry of Health (KKM) for its allocation of RM21 million to upgrade the facilities, equipment and reagents of various labs in KKM hospitals in Sarawak.
“Another RM36 million was allocated by KKM for additional 29 ICU beds and accessories equipment for KKM hospitals in Sibu, Bintulu, Miri and Limbang,” he said in a statement today after a work visit to Sarawak General Hospital (SGH).
Sarawak Health director Dr Chin Zin Hing, SGH director Dr Ngien Hie Ung and microbiologist Dr Amira were among those during the visit to check on the progress of PCR labs and ICU upgrades. — DayakDaily
