WITH hospitals running out of space due to rising COVID-19 cases, a senior health official urged the Government to increase manpower to help the situation.
“What I’m saying is in line with what the Malaysia Medical Association (MMA) said yesterday. We need more people at the hospitals, Government’s district health offices (PKD) and public health clinics (KK).
“There are three elements involved here. We need to manage patients of both COVID-19 cases and non-pandemic related, meet public expectations and help in the National COVID-19 Vaccination Programme (PICK).
“To manage all the above, we need additional manpower,” Tuanku Fauziah Hospital (Kangar Hospital) director Dr Othman Warijo told FocusM.
Yesterday, The Star reported MMA as saying that the Government needs to address the acute manpower shortage at PKD and KK, with staffers struggling to cope with the surge of COVID-19 cases.
Its president Datuk Dr M Subramaniam said PKD officers are tasked with daily COVID-19 management duties of triaging, screening, assessing, contact tracing, monitoring and home monitoring of Category 1 and 2 patients.
He added that they also manage acute and chronic non-COVID-19 cases on a daily basis.
“The district health officers feel like they are pulled in every direction and with the surge in cases, the system is on the verge of collapse.
Get volunteers, fund NGOs
“The Health Ministry (MOH) must take a serious view of the situation and urgently address these manpower shortages – especially in the Klang Valley where cases are the highest,” he was reported saying.
Earlier today, MOH said that Sungai Buloh Hospital had to set up special containers to house remains of those who died due to COVID-19, as space was lacking.
Last week, Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow said that intensive care units (ICU) of Penang hospitals treating critical COVID-19 patients has hit full capacity.
On that note, Othman said the Government had hired many contractual staff to manage the pandemic crisis ranging from doctors, nurses and pharmacists but it was not enough given the rising number of cases.
He added that the Government should also consider roping in non-healthcare workers from other ministries and agencies to help in the situation.
“They can help by taking away non-health related work from healthcare workers such as clerical and managing visitors to the hospitals.
“From my understanding, many of the non-health workers are willing to help but they can only come in if the Government gives the directive,” Othman stated.
On calls to rope in volunteers, the veteran doctor lauded the move, adding the Government should allocate funds to offer some stipend to these volunteers.
“The Government can also provide funds to health-related non-governmental organisations which are helping out during the pandemic crisis,” Othman opined. – May 17, 2021
