THE Covid-19 vaccination programme in Sarawak’s rural areas could go off the rails by the latest Ministry of Health (MoH) requirement.

Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau said the ministry’s latest rule that there must be at least 8,000 registered recipients before the vaccination could be carried could mean it would be very difficult for people in the rural areas to get the jab.

Ngau, a Gabungan Parti Sarawak lawmaker from Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu, represents a constituency deep in Baram where communication is extremely poor.

Baram is a very large forested area having a river basin and mountain highlands.

Ngau disclosed two planned dates for people in his constituency to be vaccinated have been shelved because no districts there have met the numbers requirement.

The first was scheduled for April 5 to 9.

He said that date was postponed to April 23 to 27.

Now, it has been postponed altogether with no new date set and the frustrated Ngau said he has no idea if, and when, the vaccination will take place.

“So far, we have only managed to get close to 3,000 people registered and that is after a few months,” Ngau told The Malaysian Insight.

He said despite all the attempts to explain to health officials the unique problems of Baram and why the vaccination should be carried out, “they still employed a wait-and-see” attitude.

“It might take five months or more to reach the target 8,000 figure, but that again is not guaranteed. Do we want to wait and wait?” he asked.

He said to reach out to the people there and get them registered is monumental due to poor communication services.

There are no internet or phone services in Baram and driving – some by river – from one settlement to another is the only option available.

Ngau said although there might be on record more than 20,000 people in Baram, the number of people actually living there in widely scattered settlements is small.

He said in his constituency, for example, the number of people who are left living in longhouses is low due to lack of employment opportunities.

Many have left for towns such as Marudi, Limbang, Lawas, Miri and Bintulu in search of jobs. The majority headed to Miri.

He said the ministry should be flexible in its approach and look into an area on a case-to-case basis.

He said decisions should be based on local situations.

“The situation in one area may not be the same as another. Hopefully, the Ministry of Health could look for a solution,” he added.

In Baram, the vaccination centres are the health clinics at Long Lama, Long San and Long Bedian.

Long Lama is 146km from Miri and it is at least a two-hour drive on a four-wheel-drive vehicle. – April 22, 2021.