ADDRESSING food security and good hygiene practises should go hand in hand in efforts to aid those hit hard by the implementation of the conditional movement control order (CMCO) following the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, said a coordinator of a humanitarian aid programme known as Asean Cares.
Teo Chee Kim, who is also treasurer of an environmental non-profit organisation Future Alam Borneo (FAB), said for that reason, the Asean Cares programme not only distributed food aid to those in need, but also provided education on hygiene practises, including correct usage of the tools to prevent the virus from spreading.
“The Asean Cares programme aims to help communities facing food security risks and hygiene crises.
“It has been almost a year since the outbreak of COVID-19 and so we endeavour to not only distribute food aid to those badly impacted by the pandemic, but also to raise awareness on what the communities need to do to minimise the risk of infection,” he said, when met during the distribution of aid at Kampung Mangkalinau.
Teo said FAB hoped that the number of active COVID-19 cases would be reduced significantly when more people became aware of the importance of incorporating good hygiene practices in their daily lives.
“This pandemic is definitely unprecedented. Focus must be given to the vulnerable groups,” he added.
On Asean Cares, Teo said FAB was chosen to implement the programme in Sandakan by distributing 300 food packs and hygiene kits to families most affected by the CMCO at four villages – Kampung Forest, Kampung Mangkalinau, Kampung Sundang and Kampung Bonggaya Baru.
He said Asean Cares is a programme implemented by the Asean Foundation and United Way Worldwide, a privately funded non-profit organisation that fights for health, education and financial stability of communities, and supported by multinational conglomerate corporation, 3M.
“The Asean Cares programme appointed an environmental non-government organisation EcoKnights in the Peninsular to implement the programme in Malaysia involving four states – Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Johor and Sabah, where they (EcoKnights) coordinate with FAB in Sabah,” he said.
The CMCO was implemented throughout Sabah since Oct 13 following spikes in new positive COVID-19 cases, and is expected to end on Dec 31.
Sabah recorded 199 new cases yesterday bringing the cumulative total to 34,282 cases with 12 districts out of 27 categorised as red zones, while Nabawan district is the only green zone with no active cases. – Dec 20, 2020.
