TAWAU: Sri Tanjong Assemblyman Justin Wong urged the health authorities to handle the diarrhoea problem in the district with transparency and accountability.
“The people here deserve to know what is going on so that they can take precautionary steps to avoid getting ill,” he said.
Justin claimed the health authorities were keeping people in the dark despite clinics here receiving up to 80 cases daily for over a week.
The affected areas were said to be in Sin On and Bunga Raya as well as pupils from three primary schools here.
He said the problem became known on Sept 26 but there was silence from the health authority.
Residents concluded that their pipe water supply is the source of the problem.
Justin said many residents complained of getting dark brown water from the pipes at around the same time that diarrhoea cases increased drastically in the district.
“Locals have taken this problem online and it had gone viral. I have contacted the Tawau Health Office for clarification and data about diarrhoea cases here, but was told that they need the Sabah Health Department Director to make the statement.
“I also contacted the Sabah Water Department to get the result of water sample testing they have conducted recently, but they remained silent even after over a week,” he said, in a statement.
He added that he could not get the official data from public health facilities, but discovered from two private clinics that there have been about 25 to 40 diarrhoea cases (each clinic) reported daily from September 26 to date, including children.
Wong said it is completely unacceptable that the authorities are keeping the people in the dark about the real situation, as it involves their safety and health.
He said the people are very concerned to a point that households here have started buying mineral water for consumption and daily use.
“It is too peculiar to have people residing in different areas to be experiencing similar symptoms.
“The people are waiting for an announcement from the Government, but until today, the Sabah Health Department or Health Ministry did not say anything,” he said.
* Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss.
* Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.