KOTA KINABALU: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has given the assurance that he will help expedite the setting up of the Tawau Field Hospital in the east coast of Sabah.

       This was relayed to Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor who made the request during the online National Disaster Management Committee meeting that was chaired by the Prime Minister yesterday.

       Hajiji said that an army field hospital that was used during the first spike of Covid-19 cases had ceased operations.

       Thus, he said the army field hospital in Tawau was urgently required as the upgrading works for the Tawau district hospital was only 60% completed.

       On another issue, Hajiji said that 302 temporary evacuation centres had been identified in Sabah.

       Fourteen agencies involving 6,800 personnel will be on standby in view of the rainy days during the monsoon season, he added.