Sabah CM unveils campaign to achieve zero active Covid-19 case within state

KOTA KINABALU, June 21 — Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Haji Noor is confident that Sabah can achieve the target of 30,000 people vaccinated daily beginning next month.

“With the opening of more vaccination administration centres (PPV) coupled with assistance from the private sector and the Health Department’s mobile programme in rural areas, we will be able to achieve the target,” he said.

At the same time, the Chief Minister has directed all Community Development Leaders (PPM) throughout the state to aggressively mobilise registration in all districts to speed up the vaccination programme.

Last Tuesday, Hajiji announced that 16 new PPVs opened this month in addition to 95 currently in operation as the National Covid Immunisation Programme (NIP) is now extended to the 18-year-old and above group.

Currently, 72 of the PPVs were using health facilities while 23 in public facilities throughout the state, he added.

Sabah is hoping to achieve herd immunity by end of this year as the state intensifies efforts and strategies which will see its 2.9 million population get inoculated.

To this end, Hajiji reiterated the importance for Sabahans to register for vaccination through the various platforms provided by the government so that the goal of zero active case daily can be achieved as well.

Launching Sabah’s Zero Covid-19 campaign at the Banquet Hall of the State Administrative Centre (PPNS) here on Monday, he said as of June 19, a total of 326,556
people including army personnel have received the first dose under the first and second phase.

“It is crucial that the people and State government worked together in fighting the pandemic.

“We do not want our state to experience a sudden spike in positive cases resulting in fatalities,” he said.

In this respect, Hajiji said the immunisation programme, which has entered into the third phase, also focuses on the manufacturing sector through the Public-Private
Partnership Industrial Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (Pikas) where an estimated 10,000 workers in the sector in Sabah will be inoculated.

Pikas will be conducted at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) beginning July, where a daily target of 1,500 workers from the sector are expected to get their vaccination.

The chief minister said the State government will see sufficient supply of Pfizer, Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines for the people, assuring that Sabah will be
receiving more supplies from July onwards.

Hajiji said several countries like China, New Zealand and Australia have successfully achieved zero active case daily through strict compliance of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and most importantly, expediting the
vaccination process of their respective citizens.

“The zero Covid-19 campaign is a joint initiative between the State government and Health Ministry aimed at creating a new benchmark for the people in the state and the importance of achieving zero active case daily,” he said.

Malaysia is now gripped by the third wave of the pandemic leaving the government with no other choice but to implement the nationwide Movement Control Order 3.0.

“This pandemic can never be stopped if we presumed we have won each time a level of the movement control order is relaxed.

“It is very important for society to continue embracing the new norms and complying with the SOP in their daily routines for as long as there are active cases in our country,” he said.

“It is concerning to see three-figure positive cases registered in Sabah every day. This should be a reminder for us to not be complacent but be vigilant and to continue adhering to the SOP,” he said.

The State government acknowledged the hardship faced by the people with the imposition of regulations.

“But, we need to realise that once we relaxed the SOP there will be a spike in the number of daily positive cases,” he said.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba joined the Chief Minister virtually at the event together with Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Masidi
Manjun, Community Development and People’s Wellbeing Minister Shahelmy Yahya, Sabah State Secretary Datuk Seri Safar Untong and State Health Director Datuk Dr Christina Rundi. — Borneo Post