State Vaccination Drive Gets a Boost with Qhazanah Sabah Berhad Programme

KOTA KINABALU: Some 120 workers at a remote oil palm plantation in Sabah’s interior Telupid district are well on their way to being inoculated against the Covid 19 virus thanks to an initiative to complement the Government’s vaccination drive.
 
The workers received their first dose of the Sinovac-CoronaVac vaccine at Sapi Nangoh, a three-hour drive from the Telupid town, on Sept 17. It was part of an effort by WH Medicare Sdn Bhd (WHMSB), a subsidiary of Qhazanah Sabah Bhd, the State Government’s investment arm.
 
WHMSB executive director Rudy Jaglul said the vaccination programme was jointly organised with Klinik Rose Mabello of Telupid would see the workers getting their second doses of the vaccine in mid-October.
 
The vaccinated workers were employees of Perfect Oil Resources (Sabah) Sdn Bhd.  
 
Rudy said WHMSB had so far distributed 7,360 the Sinovac – CoronaVac vaccine doses and was expected to complete the first phase of supply with a target of 10,000 doses by the end of September.  
 
“We are currently in the operation phase for the Private Vaccination Program utilizing the Sinovac – Corona vaccine and to ensure that the vaccine supply reaches all area particularly plantations sectors located at remote location.” he said. 
 
“The operation is a continuation of the execution of the recent Supply and Distribution Agreement (SDA) between WHMSB and Pharmaniaga Lifescience Sdn Bhd,” said Rudy who was part of the WHMSB team to help deliver the vaccine to the plantation.
 
He explained the operation was an effort by Qhazanah Sabah Berhad through WH Medicare to carry its role in assisting the State’s Government drive to increase vaccine rollout in the private sector, particularly small and medium sized plantations.
 
The vaccination rollout effort was also aimed at achieving state-wide herd immunity. It was also aimed at encouraging Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) amongst industry players by getting them to vaccinate their employees.   
 
Last August, Qhazanah Sabah had announced its procurement of 250,000 doses of the Sinovac-CoronaVac vaccine from Pharmaniaga Lifescience Sdn Bhd following the execution of a Supply and Distribution Agreement with WHMSB to assist the state government in its vaccine roll out plan.