10 Miri interior areas receive booster doses by helicopter
MIRI: A total of 10 areas in the interior of Miri received a supply of Covid-19 vaccine booster doses, delivered by air in a Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) Sarawak helicopter, which took off from the Miri Fire Department Air Operations Base yesterday.
The flight commenced at 10am, piloted by Captain Faizal Izani, with assistant pilot Robert James and air quartermaster Noor Hanif Maliki.
According to James, the mission involved deliveries to health clinics in Long Lellang, Long Banga, Lio Mato, Long Jeeh, Long Jekitan, Long Naah, Long Pillah, Long Teran, Long Bemang and Long Teru, which took about four hours.
Also present in yesterday’s operation were Miri Health Office’s Family Development Sector chief Dr Noor Izni Mohamed Shapie, and Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) senior nurse Dayang Asmah Awang Ahmad, representing the Ministry of Health (MOH).
“It is estimated that more than 1,000 doses of Pfizer booster vaccine were sent to 10 health clinics today for the use by the people in these interiors,” Dr Noor Izni told Bernama, after completing the operation.
Bernama was given the opportunity to join the operation to obtain first-hand experience and witness the challenges faced by Bomba and the MOH in delivering vaccine supplies to the interior.
Among the challenges witnessed during the flight was where the pilot had to change the direction of the route several times due to bad weather conditions, as well as hilly and mountainous terrain.
Following several route changes, the original plan to land at Long Bedian had to be cancelled due to depleting fuel, such that the pilots had to return to the base.
Apart from that, the helicopter landing strips have their own sets of problems too, including stagnant water and space not wide enough, that surely tested the pilot’s skills.
The journey showed the sacrifices and challenges faced by Bomba and MOH, as well as various other agencies that have been working hard to ensure that all residents in the country will not miss out on receiving Covid19 vaccine. — Bernama