KOTA KINABALU: A deputy minister wants the Federal Government to consider sending more vaccine supplies to Sabah despite the state having the lowest registration rate so far.

       Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economy) Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup said while the vaccination programme had been going on smoothly in Sabah, many rural folk had yet to be inoculated.

       “As at last Friday, Sabah recorded 306, 280 recipients who have received their first dose and 122, 485 individuals who have completed both doses.

       “This translates to a 10.44% vaccination rate for the first dose and a 4.18% vaccination rate for both doses in the state.

       “To continue the momentum, the Special Committee for Ensuring Access to Covid-19 Vaccine Supply should consider sending more vaccines to Sabah.

       “This is because despite the increase in recipients, there are still many more out there in the rural areas who have not received their vaccination due to a communication gap, ” he said yesterday, following a visit to the

       Sook community hall, a vaccine administration centre (PPV) in the subdistrict that started operations on Monday.

       Sabah currently has the lowest rate of registrations for vaccination in the country, at 29.69% as at June 21.

       Kurup said the Sook PPV was expected to dispense up to 400 doses a day for people in Sook and its surrounding areas, which would improve vaccination among rural folk.

       There are currently five PPV in the Pensiangan parliamentary constituency: Nabawan health clinic, Balai Budaya Salarom Taka, Pagalungan health clinic, Pensiangan health clinic, and the Sook centre.

       “A request has been made to the Covid-19 National Immunisation Programme coordinating committee to open another centre in Nabawan, namely the community hall there, to cater to the huge number of residents, ” said Kurup.