Sarawak health teams bring handheld lung screening devices to longhouses in Bintulu and Belaga
KUCHING: Health authorities in Sarawak have begun deploying officers armed with portable lung screening devices into longhouse communities in a bid to contain a rising wave of Tuberculosis infections across the state.
The Bintulu Health Department confirmed that ground-level screening operations using the handheld units are now underway in both the Bintulu and Belaga districts.
According to the department, the devices are fitted with micro X-ray screening technology capable of detecting early indicators of lung infections among those examined.
In Belaga, located deep in the interior of Sarawak, health teams have already entered targeted longhouses to conduct screenings. In Bintulu, operations are running concurrently across residential areas and at Ramadan bazaars, which have drawn large crowds across the state during the fasting month.
The mobilisation follows an advisory issued two days earlier by state ministries and health authorities directing stricter health and crowd management protocols at Ramadan bazaars statewide.
Bazaar organisers have been instructed to enforce tighter crowd control, encourage the wearing of face masks, and put basic health monitoring measures in place.
Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier’s Office Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi had warned that the situation could deteriorate further without prompt intervention.
“We have issued an advisory for members of the public to wear face masks when they are in crowded places due to the rise in TB infections. The advisory on face masks is especially important in Ramadan bazaars that are operating in many locations, such as in Kuching,” he said.
Dr Abdul Rahman urged city hall to brief bazaar organisers on the necessary precautionary measures, stressing that while face mask wearing remains advisory rather than mandatory at this stage, the health alert issued by the ministry warranted immediate preventive action.
“TB can spread through the air. We must act now to prevent the spread from getting out of control,” he said, adding that anyone experiencing a persistent cough should seek medical attention without delay.
Sarawak has recorded 332 new TB cases since the start of the year through to last week — a figure health authorities say underscores the urgency of the outreach effort. As an airborne disease, TB spreads readily in crowded and enclosed environments, making bazaars and communal longhouse settings areas of particular concern.
The Sun Malaysia
