‘Lack of foresight’ - Warisan MP blasts Sabah govt for dire Covid-19 situation

As the Covid-19 situation worsens in Sabah, an opposition MP has demanded that the state government secure more equipment and medical personnel immediately.

After a long lull, daily infections have begun to surpass 1,000 in recent weeks. The state recorded 2,329 cases and 33 deaths yesterday.

Intensive care unit (ICU) Covid-19 beds in the state were beyond capacity (126 percent) and they also were almost out of Covid-19 beds (92 percent) as of Sept 1.

It had the highest seven-day average test positivity rate nationwide as of Aug 30 at 27.96 percent. This indicates significant under-testing.

Amid all this, Sabah has the lowest vaccination rate in the country.

Just 40.8 percent of adults (28.8 of its entire population) have been fully vaccinated as of Sept 1.

In response, the Health Ministry said it will intensify vaccination efforts and allocate more human resources and equipment to Sabah.

Ramp up response now

In a statement yesterday, Penampang MP Darell Leiking (above) noted that public hospitals in the state were beginning to prioritise younger patients over older ones due to a lack of supplies and ICU beds.

The Warisan lawmaker blamed the dire situation on the state government’s “lack of foresight”.

“If this state government had only a little bit more foresight, it should have anticipated which district would require (oxygen) tanks based on the daily reported new cases.

“The state government should also know that the increase of new cases in the state is based on a constant trajectory.

“Hence, the reports in the last two weeks should have given them ample time to prepare for the sudden rise and need of oxygen tanks and ventilators in the state,” he said.

He also lambasted Gabungan Bersatu Sabah for its “lack of assertiveness” with Putrajaya.

“Warisan and throngs of Sabahans... have reminded the state government to be assertive when dealing with the then PN (Perikatan Nasional)-led federal government - and now BN - over inconsistent supplies to medical facilities, inconsistent SOPs, and lack of vaccines to Sabah.

“But they seemed to have ignored (these reminders) or if they had attempted to liaise with their federal leaders, (they) have been ignored by their federal political masters.

“What we only seemed to have heard instead are praises lavished (on) former PM Muhyiddin Yasin and media statements announcing that the state government is doing its job,” he said.

Darell, a trained lawyer, proposed a list of interventions to the state government.

1. Set up temporary RT-PCR test centres across Sabah to quickly triangulate which districts need more equipment. This is to slash result delivery delays and supplement two existing test centres (Kota Kinabalu and Lahad Datu).
2. Apply for emergency allocations from Putrajaya for healthcare spending.
3. Engage private healthcare facilities within and beyond Sabah.
4. Engage the military.
5. Engage Covid-19 vaccine manufacturers to buy additional vaccines. Or loan vaccines from the Selangor government.
6. Secure more single-shot Covid-19 vaccines.
7. Purchase enough oxygen tanks, ventilators, essential medical utensils, and medication for Sabahans of all ages.
8. Include medical experts who have experience treating Covid-19.
9. Provide immediate family members of Covid-19 victims RM5,000 as aggrievement entitlement.

Yesterday, Senior Minister (Defence) Hishammuddin Hussein announced the Malaysian Armed Forces will be setting up field hospitals in Sabah but did not detail how many or where.

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said this morning a shipment of single-shot CanSino vaccines will arrive in Sabah today.

Ministry officials later confirmed 180,000 doses of CanSino are set to be delivered to the state in stages.

- Mkini