RANAU: Grassroots leaders have been urged to assist in disseminating accurate information on Covid-19 vaccination in efforts to encourage rural residents to take part in the government's free immunisation programme.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Dr. Joachim Gunsalam said the state government was actively providing information on vaccination to local community through the Info On Wheels (IOW) programme.
The Kundasang assemblyman said the first-hand information programme, among others, was aimed at furnishing authentic and accurate information to villagers through the Native Chief, Native Chief representatives, Village Development and Security Committee (JPKK) chiefs, and Mukim Developer.
"The Kundasang state consituency has 85 JPKK. It is their job to identify everyone aged 18 and above who needs to get vaccinated, especially for senior citizens who are 80 years old.
"For everyone's knowledge, the price of vaccines is not cheap and the people should take the opportunity to join in the vaccination programme organised by the government," he said when meeting with the grassroots leaders here today.
In Ranau district, Gunsalam said there were only 15 percent of people registering for the vaccination programme.
He said the nation would be able to reduce the spread of Covid-19 if 70 percent of the population in the country were vaccinated.
Accordingly, he added the people in this state still need to adhere to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) as the coronavirus was already spreading within the local community.
Gunsalam also reminded the people that this year's Kaamatan Festival, which is a much anticipated celebration among the Kadazandusun community come May, was cancelled and any gathering was prohibited.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan had said the Kaamatan celebration would only be held online following the implementation of the Conditional Movement Control Order in Sabah from April 29 to May 17.
Jeffrey, who chairs this year's Kaamatan Main Organising Committee, said contest programmes such as the Unduk Ngadau (beauty pageant), Sugandoi (singing) and other competitions at the district level would continue without officiating ceremony.
"We will continue to do live streaming and online broadcasting, but we will do so in accordance with the SOP set by the Health Ministry.
"The state government has also decided that except for the launching of the of the Kaamatan month this Saturday, which will also be done symbolically at Hongkod Koisaan, there will be no Kaamatan festival to be celebrated at district level."
