KUCHING, Nov 10 — The Sarawak State Legislative Assembly sitting here today was told that the National Security Council (MKN) has been urged to further increase the capacity to conduct COVID-19 screenings in the state to 5,000 people per day.
Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said currently the facilities available in the state can only carry 2,400 tests daily and this situation has resulted in some results can only be known after three days.
“If we can increase (capacity) to 5,000 (tests) per day, then our waiting time can be shortened. We have given a KPI (Key Performance Index) to JKNS (Sarawak Health Department) to get the results in less than 24 hours. If can, in 12 hours,” he said.
Uggah, who is also the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) chairman, said this in his reply to a supplementary question from Dr Hazland Abang Hipni (GPS-Demak Laut) during a question-and-answer session.
He said that the state JPBN has also asked the MKN to further increase the capacity of district hospitals in Bau, Serian, Sri Aman, Betong, Sarikei, Kapit and Limbang to treat COVID-19 patients.
“The state government has approved the allocation to build a new molecular laboratory at Limbang Hospital. (With this laboratory) we can increase the screening capacity to 200 per day. Once completed, there is no need for test sample from patients in Limbang and Lawas to be brought to Miri as they can be analysed in Limbang Hospital,” he said.
Source: BERNAMA