WITH COVID-19 raging, Umno called upon the Government to build specialised hospitals to cater for the unprecedented public health crisis which is taking a toll on the nation.
“Learn from China. When the pandemic was initially detected, their first move was to build hospitals quickly. Field intensive care units are not a long-term solution.
“If that is too difficult to be executed, then consider nationalising a few private hospitals or any facilities that can be turned into Government owned hospital soon.
“Extraordinary threats require extraordinary responses. Although majority believes a total lockdown could reduce the number of cases, transmission can still occur and rise again the moment we reopen our economic sectors,” its deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said, in a Facebook post.
Two days ago, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) decided to impose a total lockdown nationwide, beginning June 1 to 14.
The Government announced that the full lockdown will be implemented in three phases, where the first phase will be focused on bringing down COVID-19 tally.
Get more volunteers, retirees
Once the first phase is done, the second phase will look into reopening several economic sectors which does not involve large gatherings.
The third phase will involve relaxing some restrictions, like the one currently in place.
Currently, Malaysia is under Emergency rule, which grants the Government wide powers including nationalising private premises and facilities to help contain the pandemic.
Mohamad Hasan also called upon the Government to increase resources to mitigate the public health crisis, by borrowing expertise and manpower from various private clinics.
One solution, the Rantau state assemblyperson added, was to take advantage of the sizeable number of graduates that have yet to receive their placements.
“Volunteers without healthcare background can do variety of administrative and field work.
“Our frontliners are exhausted and overwhelmed. Therefore, the hiring of retired and expat specialists, along with trained staff from countries like the Philippines must be considered soon if internal resources are limited,” he remarked. – May 30, 2021.
