SANDAKAN: Warisan President Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal expressed concern over serious health risks in the aftermath of the Kampung Bahagia disaster.
The substandard environment has the potential to spread of illnesses such as skin diseases, malaria and tuberculosis if not addressed immediately, he said.
He hoped the Health Ministry would monitor the situation, as well as provide urgent aid including medical support and vaccination programmes to prevent an outbreak.
“In addition to food aid, there is an urgent need for a more organised and comprehensive support system to ensure the safety, hygiene and wellbeing of the victims are guaranteed,” he said, after visiting the victims.
It was the third major fire to occur in the area, further worsening the plight of the affected community.
Kampung Bahagia had existed since the early 1970s and was recognised as a refugee settlement area under the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) at the time, before growing into a residential settlement.
Shafie said although the village is not yet an official or gazetted settlement, the welfare of the residents remains a priority.
