THE Malaysian Health Coalition (MHC) expressed its support for the Ministry of Health’s recommendation to extend the movement control order (MCO), citing a need to focus on the pandemic, instead of debating the labels of the MCO.
“Whether it is called an MCO, recovery MCO or enhanced MCO, the regulations which fall under this Order must be consistently enforced. Enforcement must treat all citizens fairly and as equals under the law.”
“There must not be double standards as that will erode trust in government and reduce the effectiveness of the SOPs. There must also be a concerted effort to continue educating the public on best practices and precautions. The government must provide adequate support to ensure that lower income households are able to comply with the evolving regulations,” said MHC.
The coalition also urged an increased allocation for health in the 2021 budget to address issues such as infrastructure inequality and permanent posts for health professionals.
At the same time, MHC noted that Malaysia needs to develop strong partnerships with international and private stakeholders to ensure Malaysians have equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines and treatments once those are available.
“For example, Indonesia has signed an agreement with China’s Sinovac Biotech that allows state-owned PT Bio Farma to produce a Covid-19 vaccine locally,” said MHC, also urging for the legal and regulatory infrastructure to meet local demands and not wait until the last minute.
The MHC also called for the prioritisation of human capital and the welfare of healthcare professionals, urging for permanent posts for contract frontliners, the provision of adequate mental health and family support, and the improvement of the terms of service for all healthcare professionals. – Aug 25, 2020
