KOTA KINABALU, SABAH – The State Government is upscaling its vaccination rollout plan in efforts to achieve herd immunity by the end of the year.
It’s wholly owned investment arm, Qhazanah Sabah Group, will be the assisting body to ensure sufficient and fast deployment of vaccine.
Qhazanah Sabah has answered this call whereby its Chairman, Datuk Seri Dr. Salleh Said Keruak has announced the procurement of more vaccines are in process.
“It is because of our duty to serve the Government, Qhazanah Group, through our wholly-owned subsidiary namely WH Medicare, has committed to procure Sinovac CoronaVac vaccines from Pharmaniaga LifeScience Sdn. Bhd…
“As the Chairman of Qhazanah, I am honoured and I thank the State for choosing Qhazanah to assist,” he said.
A Supply and Distribution Agreement (SDA) signing ceremony on Friday sealed the dead between WH Medicare Sdn. Bhd and Pharmaniaga LifeScience Sdn.
The signing between both parties were witnessed by Minister of Local Government and Housing, Datuk Seri Masidi Bin Manjun and Chairman of Qhazanah Sabah Group at the State Administrative Center.
The agreement guarantees the purchase of 250,000 doses that can cater to 125,000 patients while addressing the challenges stated by Masidi, who is also the Finance Minister II, on the two factors that will affect efficiency of vaccine rollout.
“The two challenges we face are the vaccination capacity its supply to be delivered upon a fixed schedule,” he Masidi.
Currently, Sabah is focused on implementing Enhanced Movement Control Orders (EMCO) in affected areas and this measure has managed to control the number of infection cases compared to the rest of the states in Malaysia.
However, this measure comes at the cost of a temporary halt on economic activities bringing the upscaling of vaccination rollouts the utmost priority of the State’s agenda.
Vaccinations are the best global guarantee to co-exist with the Covid-19 virus where the main function is to reduce the likelihood of severe stage infection and hence reduces the risk of death.
Achieving herd immunity is the best way for the Government to continue serving its social obligation to protect the people whilst ensuring that the economic activities would not cease completely and livelihood of the people will not be adversely affected.
Sabah has recorded, in 2nd August, that 907,248 out of registered population have successfully received the first dose.
However, the increase in daily cases remains and herd immunity has to be achieved in order to tackle both safety net and economic challenges of the people.
“This is why we chose Pharmaniaga LifeScience as our partner. The product is filled and finished in the factory here in Malaysia where logistics and distribution will be less of an issue…
“What’s important is the vaccine’s availability. This is what we are offering to the State,” said Salleh.
Masidi meanwhile urged companies to get their employees vaccinated.
He said it is reasonable to allow companies to operate on a 100 per cent capacity if all the eligible employees and their family members are vaccinated.
Masidi also acknowledged the pressing need to re-open economic activities and hence all measures will be taken to facilitate this.
“Through Qhazanah, Sabah now has access to adequate vaccine supplies. The rollout for this batch will be brought forward to the Cabinet for further discussion and refinement,” said Masidi.
Salleh responded positively to this initiative and said that WH Medicare will work closely with the Sabah State Government.
“Qhazanah Sabah, through WH Medicare, is ready to play an active role in assisting the Government to implement measure that will enable the people of Sabah to live safely during these times of uncertainty…
“After all, it is our collective responsibility to assist each other,” Salleh added.
