KUCHING: Sarawak has received the green light from Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to gazette private hospitals statewide as Vaccination Centres (PPVs) to expedite the implementation of the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme in the state.

Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said the costs of the vaccines used and given to the people of the state would be borne by the state government.

"Companies that wish to provide the vaccine to their employees can contact the private hospitals once they were gazetted as PPVs.

"The vaccine will be provided free of charge by the state government. The companies just need to pay for the service rendered (service charge) by the hospitals. They are now negotiating a standard price," he told a press conference after making a working visit to Bintulu today.

On April 23, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas, who is also State Disaster Management Committee chairman said the federal government had approved Sarawak's request to purchase its own COVID-19 vaccines for the use of the people of the state.

Abang Johari said the approval was conveyed to him again by the Prime Minister during their meeting two weeks ago.

For a start, he said the state government will purchase 500,000 doses of the Sinovac vaccine, and another 500,000 doses later.

-- BERNAMA