After it was revealed that three Sarawak hospitals were suffering from several inoperative ventilators, another MP raised more issues regarding the conditions of hospital equipment in the state, particularly at the Sibu Hospital.

In a statement today, Sibu MP Oscar Ling claimed that there are many pieces of equipment that the hospital lacks, including basic ones.

"There is also other basic equipment that is in shortage in Sibu general hospital. Basic equipment like syringe pumps and infusion pumps.

"Lacking good functioning equipment has hindered the workflow inside hospitals. Patients have to wait to get their medication administered. And the medical staff are busy looking for good functioning units in hospitals," he said.

Ling pointed out that Sibu is a Covid-19 red zone and records the most number of cases throughout Sarawak at this juncture.

Thus, the Sibu hospital should be given priority, he said.

"I feel sad and think that MOH should prioritise those hospitals in red zones and areas heavily hit by Covid-19. Sibu still handles the most number of Covid cases throughout Sarawak. Sibu hospital should be supplied with enough equipment it needed; otherwise, it is not hard to believe why the death rate is so high in Sibu.

"If nothing is done by MOH, I believe the health care system in Sibu hospital will eventually collapse. I urge the federal government to spend more money on medical equipment, and records have shown that our government has put too much emphasis on economic sectors, and our healthcare needs have been neglected," Ling said.

For the record, as of yesterday, Sarawak recorded the highest number of new Covid-19 cases in the country for the third straight day.

It recorded 600 new cases yesterday, 93 of which were in Sibu.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry, when contacted for a response, said they are in the process of extending assistance to the Sarawak state government in the face of the increasing number of cases.

"MOH is in the process to assist the Sarawak state government by sending ventilators, equipment and human resources in stages.

"It is the same as what had been done in Sabah and in the Peninsular when there was a spike in the number of cases," said the ministry.