KUCHING, Feb 10 — Sarawak will consider buying its own Covid-19 vaccines if the federal government’s supply is insufficient to achieve its accelerated vaccination plan, said Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian.

He told reporters that the state was open to that possibility as it aimed at completing the national Covid-19 vaccination programme by August instead of February next year as scheduled.

"As for now, only the government (of countries) can buy the vaccines such as the ones made by Pfizer. We are looking at all possible ways for us to get more vaccines to the state for Sarawakians as soon as possible,” he told reporters here today.

He added that if the supply given by the federal government could not achieve the target, then Sarawak might have to buy more on their own.

"We hope that we have enough vaccines for us to achieve the target. It is not that we could not buy the vaccines for ourselves, but the process to purchase the vaccines has to be made by the government for now,” he said.

Dr Sim said Sarawak government will be working closely with the Ministry of Health and federal government in finding ways to help Sarawak achieve its target as the state is aiming to vaccinate at least two million people by August.

The National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme will be rolled out at the end of this month and is expected to reach over 80 per cent of the population or 26.5 million people by February next year, said Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin recently.

Before speaking to reporters, Dr Sim had officiated the launching of the Chinese New Year Fire and Safety Campaign by the State Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) at its headquarters here in Jalan Setia Raja. — Borneo Post Online