By Adrian Lim
KUCHING, Dec 23: A taskforce will be set up to handle the distribution and transportation of Covid-19 vaccine across Sarawak once available.
State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said the team will be led by medical experts consisting of former health directors and the current medical officers to provide recommendations on the best way to handle the storage and distribution of vaccines to Sarawakians.
“We are setting up a taskforce to assist the State Health Department to look at the infrastructure readiness in terms of logistics.
“The team is led by (Prof) Datuk Dr Andrew Kiyu (former state health director), Dr Jamilah Hashim (also former Sarawak health director) with Dr Chin Zin Hing (current State Health director) and the team.
“They will make recommendations to the state government what are the logistics and facilities that are needed to be prepared,” he told reporters after providing the updates on state Covid-19 during a press conference here today.
Uggah who is Deputy Chief Minister noted that Sarawak has a wide geographical area and thus provides a challenge for the distribution of vaccines especially to the people in rural areas.
Citing an example of the Covid-19 vaccine manufactured by Pzifer Inc and German-based BioNTech SE which requires storage in low temperatures, Uggah who is also the Second Finance Minister said the state government is planning ahead for the distribution of vaccines across the state.
“We do not want to be caught when the vaccine arrives and we are in chaos.
“The taskforce will be asked to come up with reports within a month to do the assessment of the infrastructure in Sarawak.
“When the vaccine arrives, it will seamlessly reach as far as the corners of Sarawak that needs to be sent,” he added.
He said the Sarawak government has targeted 100 per cent vaccination for the population in the state. —DayakDaily
