A health worker administers a dose of Covid-19 vaccine. — Bernama file photo
MIRI (July 12): None of the Penans who are eligible for Covid-19 vaccination in Limbang district have been vaccinated despite the many attempts to get them vaccinated in recent weeks, Limbang Resident Ahmad Denney Ahmad Fauzi disclosed today.
Ahmad Denney, when contacted by The Borneo Post, said that a team, which comprised of Ministry of Health (MOH) staff had gone to Long Napir last week to vaccinate the villagers there, but half of them had gone ‘missing’ from the village.
“They had gone elsewhere as they are scared to be vaccinated just like those Penans in Baram. Therefore, to date, none of the Penans in Limbang have been vaccinated,” he said.
Ahmad Denney estimated the population of Penans who are eligible for Covid-19 vaccination to be 407.
To tackle the Penan’s hesitancy of getting vaccinated against Covid-19, Ahmad Denney said his office would conduct a briefing session for them in the coming week to ensure that they understand the importance of the vaccination.
He added that the briefing to persuade the Penans to get themselves vaccinated, would involve a Penan speaker from the state Economic Planning Unit.
There are 11 Penan villages in Limbang, namely Long Napir, Long Adang, Kartadem, Long Tegaan, Long Keneng, Long Sulong, Long Gita, Long Rayeh, Long Persik, Long Temengen and Long Nyakit with an estimated of about 800 people.
Sarawak is aiming to achieve herd immunity by the second week of August, this year.