Kuala Koh tragedy: 434 Orang Asli in Gua Musang getting vaccinated

GUA MUSANG, July 3 (Bernama) -- A total of 230 Orang Asli residents, including members of the Batek tribe from Kampung Pasir Linggi, Pos Lebir here, have been given vaccine injections to prevent the spread of measles as of yesterday afternoon.

Kelantan/ Terengganu Orang Asli Development Department (JAKOA) director Hashim Alang Abdul Hamid said thus far a total of 434 people from the Orang Asli community in Gua Musang have received the vaccine injections.

He said the Gua Musang District Health Department personnel were carrying out vaccination programme to 204 Batek tribe members in Kampung Kuala Koh and Kampung Aring 5 over the weekend.

However, he said, a total of 109 Orang Asli residents, have yet to receive vaccine injections for a couple of reasons, such as 66 people from Kampung Pasir Linggi and 37 others from Kampung Aring 5, who were currently in the forest while six residents in Kampung Kuala Koh were not given injections as they were experiencing some health problems.

In early May, there were 15 deaths involving the Orang Asli members from Kampung Kuala Koh due to measles, while 112 residents were receiving treatment at the Gua Musang Hospital, Kuala Krai Hospital and the Sultanah Zainab ll Hospital in Kota Bharu.

Hashim Alang said health personnel would continue giving injections to those who had yet to receive vaccination in the near future.

He said cooperation received pertaining to the vaccination programme was the highest recorded due to concerns about the spread of the infectious diseases.

Meanwhile, Tok Batin (village chief) of Kampung Pasir Linggi, Bolek Lilin, 75, when met said the Orang Asli villagers were waiting for the preventive programmes as well as the vaccine injections.

He said this was because they were very concerned with the spread of the infectious diseases that would prevent them from carrying out daily activities including seeking livelihoods in the forest.

-- BERNAMA