Sabah refutes claims that frontliners have to buy own PPEs

 By Olivia Miwil - November 2, 2020 @ 7:33pm

KOTA KINABALU: The personal protection equipment (PPE) supply for government healthcare facilities an last between 29 to 97 days, said state Health Department director Datuk Dr Christina Rundi.

She refuted an article titled "supplies low, frontliners buy PPE with own funds, says Sabah health worker."

"The Health Ministry (KKM) and State Health department is constantly monitoring the situation to ensure the PPE supply is always adequate and distributed according to needs.

"KKM has also issued guidelines on 'recommended PPE to be used when managing patients under investigation/confirmed Covid-19 in health facilities" on April 21 to all hospitals to ensure proper use of PPE and to prevent wastage," she said in a statement.

Dr Christina added that KKM has also allocated RM25 million to purchase PPE for Sabah of which the department had used RM18 million to procure the items.

The rest of the fund was channeled to all hospitals and health offices in the districts accordingly.

"Apart from the KKM allocation, the department also received PPE from Sabah government, donations from companies, non-governmental organisations and individuals.

"There will be mobilisation of PPE from facilities that have extra to others."