Medical, health officials all on standby at Sukma XXI venues in Miri

MIRI (Aug 18): A total of 143 medical and health personnel as well as those from the relevant agencies are on standby for the Miri venues of the 21st Malaysia Games (Sukma XXI).

This group comprises 88 personnel from Miri Health Offices and clinics, 22 from Miri Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba), 18 from Miri Hospital, 10 from the Malaysian Red Crescent (MRC) Miri Chapter, four from Civil Defence Department Miri, and one from Marudi Hospital.

Additionally, Bomba Miri have also provided three rescue boats, meant for standby during the sailing sports events.

Miri Health officer Dr Raviwharmman Packierisamy, also the chairman of the Medical Assistance, Emergency and Health Committee for Sukma XXI Sarawak Miri Division, said many personnel had been assigned for duties under the medical and emergency preparedness, enforcement of Control of Tobacco Product Regulations of 2004, food safety and quality inspections, and also dengue control and prevention.

“There are six static clinics operational in Miri Division, and they are located at Dynasty Hotel, Imperial Hotel, Imperial Palace Hotel, Eastwood Valley Golf and Country Club, Emart Hotel, and the Miri Industrial Training Institute (ILP).

“The static clinics at Dynasty Hotel and ILP Miri operate 24 hours, while the clinics at Imperial Hotel, Emart Hotel, Eastwood Valley and Imperial Palace Hotel operate from 5pm to 8am throughout the athletes’ duration of stay at the designated sports villages,” said Dr Raviwharmman.

At the static clinics, physiotherapy services are also provided, with 10 physiotherapists from Miri Health Office, Miri Hospital and Marudi Hospital being stationed at sports events such as karate, softball, pencak silat and rugby.

As of Aug 17, a total of 70 clients, consisting of athletes and team contingent technical personnel have received medical treatment at these static clinics.

“All the cases being reported at the static clinics consist of mild general symptoms and minor injuries, and they’re treated as outpatients without requiring any hospital admission,” said Dr Raviwharmman.

Meanwhile, the food safety and quality inspection team had conducted 21 inspections, as at Aug 17, involving various premises and caterers involved in the Sukma XXI Sports Village Miri Division, and had taken 207 food samples as holding samples.

The enforcement team had issued total of 12 compound notices under the Control of Tobacco Product Regulations of 2004 for smoking-related violations spotted around the food outlets and educational institutions where Sukma XXI events were taking place.

There were also eight compound notices involving food premises in the vicinity area being issued.

In effort to prevent dengue related cases, Miri Health Office and Miri City Council had carried out control activities at all sports village areas and also other facilities.

“Fogging was performed over 43 premises; mosquitoes larvae breeding destruction activities were conducted at 61 premises and 207 ovitraps containers had been placed to monitor the entomological sensitivity index of mosquitoes,” said Dr Raviwharmman.