A SELANGOR lawmaker lashed out at Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin for saying that social restrictions may be imposed against if COVID-19 cases soar again.
“The Government needs to ramp up our medical preparedness, so that we don’t have to go through any version of a lockdown or economic curbs ever again.
“We must increase investors’ confidence by telling them businesses will not be closed again and channel more resources to curb COVID-19 spread through vaccination and frequent testing,” Bukit Gasing state assemblyperson Rajiv Rishyakaran said, in a statement.
Yesterday, Khairy was reported saying that movement restrictions may be imposed if COVID-19 cases overrun hospitals, adding Malaysia’s transition into the endemic phase may take some time.
“We’re nowhere near that right now. If any countries feel they can declare victory, they’re sorely mistaken,” health news agency CodeBlue reported the Rembau MP as saying,
Touching on the matter, Rajiv said that the Health Ministry (MOH) should be increasing its capacity to prepare for COVID-19 infections surge instead of restricting social activities.
He also said that the people and small businesses are just making a comeback following the devastating toll the prolonged movement control order (MCO) had on them, with the authorities appearing to be tone deaf to their predicament when clear solutions are right under their noses.
“The economic cost of increasing our hospitals capacity is surely far lower that the harm caused on the economy by imposing another lockdown, which will affect the economy,” Rajiv noted.
Offering solutions, the DAP leader said that the MOH should put equipment, medicine, personnel on standby to ensure the authorities can immediately establish makeshift hospitals to handle sudden surge in COVID-19 cases.
Liberalise vaccinations, get PCR test kits at Gov’t clinics
Rajiv added that the Government should also rope in the services of all private general practitioners to administer booster shots to speed up the process.
“The cost to administer the shots will be the same but the process will be hastened and not to mention, provide better accessibility to the people,” he quipped.
Rajiv stated that the Government should also allow the option for private hospitals to administer booster shots for those who are willing to pay for it.
“With this, the Government can save their cost as those who can afford it will get the booster shots on their own and the MOH can focus on other segments of the population,” he mentioned.
Touching on testing, Rajiv lamented that until today, it was almost impossible for an individual to get a PCR test done at the Government’s clinics, with many having no choice but to get it done at private health facilities.
“You would think that after 21-months into the pandemic, a simple PCR test would have been made available at all public health clinics but alas, that is not the case,” he remarked. – Nov 23, 2021.
Photo credit: Malaysiakini
