KOTA KINABALU: The State Government is working closely with the Ministry of Health (MOH) to secure the supply of reagents to test for novel coronavirus (Covid-19), said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Shafie Apdal.
“We are working closely with the ministry, especially with the State Health director Datuk Dr Christina Rundi.
“I have also indicated to the Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah on ways we could help to acquire the things they need,” he said when asked on the shortage of the Covid-19 reagent in Sabah.
Shafie said he had also communicated with people who have access to Covid-19 test kits and hoped that the State Government could acquire the equipment as soon as possible.
“We are working on it,” he assured in a press conference after receiving 83 boxes of face masks, equivalent to 166,000 pieces, donated by the Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Kota Kinabalu and several Chinese enterprises at Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) Terminal 2 here yesterday.
On another matter, Shafie said he had also instructed Dr Rundi to improve the facilities at quarantine centres.
He said several quarantine centres were unsuitable.
“For parents who can afford, we will use premises like hotels with lower rental rates to place their children who return from overseas if they do not want to stay in the quarantine centres.
“I do not wish to see children or families getting worried about the condition (at quarantine centres), or risk contracting other diseases.”
Meanwhile, Shafie said the government was also procuring sanitizers and protective garments from China for frontliners to prevent them from getting infected.
He added that the RM10 million allocation under the Sabah Covid-19 Assistance Package for frontliners, including the police, health personnel, Rela and federal agencies, as allowance for food and other necessities, was expected to be disbursed next week.