The Bomba helicopter delivers vaccines to Long Jegan PPV despite flooding.
MIRI: Two vaccination centres (PPVs) in Baram were forced to close today due to rising flood waters.
Flooding has hit most low-lying areas across Baram since Wednesday.
Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau said the Long Lama PPV was forced to close today due worsening conditions.
“Long Lama PPV, which is the biggest PPV in Telang Usan, had to close today as floodwaters continued to rise this morning.
“Part of the town has been flooded, therefore the Ministry of Health (MoH) staff had to take proactive measures to close the PPV to avoid any untoward incidents,” he said when contacted.
Marudi assembylman Datu Dr Penguang Manggil said one of the four small PPVs in his constituency also had to close today.
“Long Jegan PPV was closed today due to the flood. The second dose vaccination for the villagers there, which is supposed to take place today and tomorrow, has been postponed,” he said when contacted.
Although the PPV had to close, a Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) helicopter still delivered Covid-19 vaccines there this morning.
Continuous heavy rain since yesterday has flooded several villages in Ulu Tinjar, which includes Long Loyang, Long Jegan, and Long Tabing.
Despite the setback in the rural vaccination drive caused by the flooding, Penguang said he is confident Marudi constituency would still be able to vaccinate 80 per cent of its population by the end of next month.
“In addition to the four small PPVs which are Long Jegan PPV, Long Teran PPV, Long Teru PPV, and Ulu Teru PPV, we have two big PPVs for Marudi constituency. They are Beluru PPV and Marudi PPV, where 10,000 people had completed their first dose respectively as of today.
“Meanwhile, about 5,000 people had completed their two-dose of Covid-19 vaccination for both PPVs as of today. With the vaccination rate that we are going, I am confident that we can achieve the herd immunity by end of August,” he said.