Uggah (fourth left) presents a certificate of appreciation to Sibu Divisional Health Officer, Dr Teh Jo Hun, while (from left) Ik Pahon, Abdullah, Sikie, Dr Sim, Jamit, Mohd Azman and Dr Annuar look on. – Photo by Peter Boon
SIBU (Aug 28): The Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) has incurred about RM300 million in operation costs in the fight against Covid-19, said its chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.
According to the Deputy Premier of Sarawak, the operation costs included expenses for hotel, backup services such as for transporting vaccines, food, low-risk treatment and quarantine centres, field hospitals and Covid-19 tests.
“In Sarawak, we were paying for the quarantine. During that time, it was 14 days (quarantine) for those coming back to Sarawak.
“These were the costs that we incurred (in operation). It did not include procurement of vaccines as they were provided free by the federal government,” he told reporters after officiating at Appreciation Night for Covid-19 Frontliners Central Region here last night.
The Deputy Premier was asked to elaborate on the details of the operation costs that he stated in his speech earlier.
Giving an example of the operation cost incurred for transportation, Uggah said boats, four-wheel-drive and helicopter were used to deliver vaccines to the interior.
On the Covid-19 testing capacity, he said initially, the state carried out about 2,500 tests per day but the the number was increased to about 6,000 tests per day later on.
“But in September last year, our (Covid-19) cases reached 5,000 a day. That meant a lot of testing. If one person was (Covid-19) positive, at least 10 close contacts (were required to be tested). Imagine, we had to do the testing.
“So, that test also, we paid. We sent some of the test samples to to Kuala Lumpur and some were done in private sector here,” he added.
Uggah thanked the state government under the leadership of Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg for approving the funding for SDMC.
“We thank our Premier, without this (funding), our vaccination programme would have been handicapped.
“Imagine the interior areas like Ulu Baram, Ulu Batang Rajang and the coastal area which are very far but we had the full support of the state government. Our priority was to save lives that was why we wanted to make sure the vaccines reach everyone as fast as possible especially in the interior,” said Uggah.
Earlier in his speech, Uggah shared his experience and the challenges faced when Covid-19 was at its height in the state.
“We can face whatever challenge in front of us, as long as we cooperate and support each other,” he said.
Deputy Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development I Dr Annuar Rapaee, who is Sibu Divisional Disaster Management Committee (SDDMC) coordinator, also shared his experience during the trying times.
Among those present were Deputy Premier Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian, Minister in Premier of Sarawak’s Department Datuk John Sikie Tayai, Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier’s Office (Corporate Affairs, Information and Sarawak Public Communications Unit) Datuk Abdullah Saidol, Deputy Minister in Premier of Sarawak’s Department (Native Law and Customs) Jefferson Jamit Unyat, Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Mohd Azman Ahmad Sapri, Deputy State Secretary Datu Ik Pahon Joyik and Pakan assemblyman Tan Sri William Mawan.