Look at bigger picture, says Sabah health director over condition of quarantine centres

Sabah health director Dr Christina Rundi (right) and UMS vice-chancellor Taufiq Yap Yun Hi (left) watch how the Covid-19 sampling chamber works, in Kota Kinabalu today.

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah health director Dr Christina Rundi has told those who criticise the conditions of quarantine centres in the state to look at the “bigger picture” as to why such centres were set up.

Rundi said the state did not have adequate ready-made facilities to deal with the sudden surge of Covid-19 cases and so had to turn other buildings into self-isolation wards.

She said only “one or two” people had actually complained that they had issues with the makeshift centres while others were fine with it.

“The bigger picture is not you in the quarantine centre … it is everybody working together to contain the outbreak. So, try to look at this and not individual comfort,” she told reporters here today.

Rundi was speaking after receiving a Covid-19 sampling chamber donated to the Luyang Hospital here by Universiti Malaysia Sabah. Also present was UMS vice-chancellor Taufiq Yap Yun Hi.

The latest criticism of the quarantine centres came from Apas assemblyman Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan, of Sabah PPBM, who singled out the teacher’s institute in Balung, Tawau.

Rundi said she took such complaints in a positive light but pointed out the quarantine centres should not “be equated with other nice buildings like hotels or houses”.

Although far from having five-star facilities, she said, many of those in the centres knew fully well they were not just there for the sake of being isolated.

“They accept that this is a way to help contain the virus, they understand the quarantine centres are there for this.

“And not everyone is willing to be there … look at those who have to work to prepare the food, clean and manage the centres,” she said. - FMT