Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas speaking at an SDMC press conference on Covid-19 update in Kuching. – Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING (June 18): Sarawak is not going to rest on its laurels even though it was acknowledged as the nation’s leading state in terms of administering Covid-19 vaccination, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.
Uggah, who is also State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman, said a total of 55,248 individuals have been vaccinated in the state yesterday, the highest number of vaccinations dispensed among the states in the nation, just a day after the number of those received the vaccine jab hit 49,000 in Sarawak.
“We still have room for improvement to ensure all the eligible 2.2 million Sarawakians are fully vaccinated by August this year. We have organised our infrastructure two months ago and is in a very active mode in rolling out our vaccination programme statewide,” he said in a statement today.
He said National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme Coordinating Minister Khairy Jamaluddin had congratulated the state on this achievement and pledged that more shipments of vaccines would be coming to Sarawak.
“We are very thankful to our Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg who has been very supportive and even set aside funds for us to buy our own vaccine. We have led the way in the nation and should be very proud of our accomplishment,” he said.
Uggah said even though the task ahead remained challenging, it is important to be accomplished as vaccination is the way out of the danger posed by Covid-19, as proven in countries like United Kingdom and United States.
Although the state had a sluggish start in the exercise due to the delay in getting the vaccine supply, he said shipments from Kuala Lumpur have been more constant now to enable the vaccination to be carried out.
“I am very grateful to Khairy and Putrajaya (Federal Government) for listening to us and helping us (to get the vaccine supply),” he added. — Bernama