TUDM personnel unload the oxygen cylinders for peripheral hospitals. — Photo from Facebook/Dr Sim Kui Hian
KUCHING (Sept 28): Sarawak received 1,006 oxygen cylinders from Kuala Lumpur yesterday for distribution to peripheral hospitals as part of preparations for increased hospital capacity.
State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) advisor Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian said the Royal Malaysian Air Force (TUDM) transported the cylinders to Kuching in case of a surge in severity of Covid-19 Delta variant cases.
“Thank you very much to TUDM for transporting 1,006 oxygen cylinders from Kuala Lumpur to Kuching, as announced by YB KJ (Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin) after the meeting here last Sunday,” Dr Sim said in a Facebook post last night.
He said Sarawak – like the rest of Malaysia, Singapore, and United Kingdom – is entering the endemic phase, where it is necessary to live with the virus while fighting its transmission.
To fight Covid-19 transmission, he said Sarawak is building up the capacity of hospitals in case of any surge of Categories 3 and 4 (requiring oxygen) and Category 5 (requiring ventilators) cases who need hospital beds.
“With the Delta variant, we must prepare for the worst but work hard for the best [booster dose, potential for advance purchase agreement (APA) for new monoclonal antibody drugs, ICU monitors, oxygen points, oxygen cylinders, ventilators, medical and nursing staff],” he said.
Aside from that, Dr Sim, who is also Local Government and Housing Minister, advised the public to carry out their own risk assessment, self-testing, self-monitoring, and self-isolation.
He added that non-pharmaceutical and public health measures that can be listed in standard operating procedures include wearing double face masks, physical distancing, social distancing (any social or family gathering, whether in private or public places), fresh air-flow ventilation of public places, and frequent hand washing or use of hand sanitiser.
“We also need everyone to play our roles and do our part in order for us to be able to proceed living life with precautions while fighting virus transmission and to gradually reopen safer. Together we shall overcome Covid-19,” he added.