Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah having a chat with a senior citizen who is waiting for his turn to be vaccinated at Spaoh Community Hall, June 23, 2021. — Picture courtesy of the Deputy Chief Minister’s Office
BETONG, June 23 — Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah today said Sarawak is expected to get the single-dose CanSino Covid-19 vaccine supplies by the middle of next month.
He said the state has requested for 650,000 doses of CanSino, mainly for rural areas, which will cut down logistics, transportation and other costs.
“The CanSino is very much suitable for our people living deep in the interiors like the Penans,” he told the media after visiting the Covid-19 vaccination centre at the Spaoh Community Hall.
Uggah, who is also the state Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman, said the medical teams have recently visited a number of such interior longhouses and villages in the Miri and Kapit Divisions to vaccinate the public using the Sinovac vaccine.
On the Betong Division’s vaccination programme roll-out, Uggah who is Bukit Saban State Assemblyman, said he is very satisfied and expects the programme to complete by end of next month.
“I was told by Betong Division Health Officer Dr Johnny Pangkas that until now, a total of 35,312 people had been given the first and 7,236 the second doses,” he said.
Uggah also said a total of 54,746 doses were administered state-wide yesterday.
He said a total of 910,595 people in the state have received either the first or second doses as of yesterday.
Uggah was accompanied by Betong Member of Parliament Datuk Robert Lawson Chuat, a political secretary to the Chief Minister Dr Richard Rapu, Resident of Betong Division Friday Belik and Dr Pangkas visiting the vaccination centre at the Spaoh Community Hall.