Four forensic officers sent to Eastern Sabah - Health DG

 

COVID-19 | As many as four officers from the Kuala Lumpur Hospital's National Institute of Forensic Medicine were mobilised to Tawau Hospital, Sabah this morning.

"They consist of a forensic medical expert, two medical officers and one assistant medical officer," said Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah in an update on Facebook this morning.

"This specialist team will carry out forensic medical duties and Covid-19 fatality management in the Eastern Sabah area.

The forensic medical expert will be stationed in Tawau for three months, he added.

"All of these frontline officers are preparing to perform the task on the field in the state's efforts to stem the Covid-19 pandemic," said Noor Hisham who thanked the staff, on behalf of all Malaysians, as national heroes.

The situation in Sabah, which has recorded 451 new cases and a total of 38 fatalities in 10 days, has seen many volunteers participating in efforts to combat the disease.

In Sandakan, Yunizam Yusop (better known as Adam Botak) is the only person offering funeral services for Covid-19 victims - and he and his team of eight are performing the services for free.

"Of course, I am worried about my safety and that of my team members. But someone has to do it, and I am willing to help. I pray that God will protect us during each job. After all, we are helping people in need," he told news portal The Vibes.

"From my experience, I get to see the pain of the deceased's family members for not being able to send off their loved ones. They cannot see or touch the body of their family for the last time. It is heartbreaking.

"I hope that all locals will cooperate in stopping Covid-19 from spreading because I do not wish to see any more deaths from Covid-19 in Sandakan, he said.

Yunizam was the first to start free ride services to the hospital in the district, when transporting those who could not afford bus fares, to and from the hospital.

That's when he realised that the hardcore poor could not afford funeral expenses for their loved ones.

Starting with a used school van, Yunizam and his team have helped more than a thousand families in the area, and the team now has three hearses that offer free services to the people. - Mkini