JKNS proactive in managing COVID-19 - Dr Sha'ari

PUTRAJAYA: The Selangor Health Department (JKNS) has given an assurance that the COVID-19 pandemic in the state is being managed proactively to ensure the people in the state receive the best treatment.

State Health director Datuk Dr Sha'ari Ngadiman said this included ensuring the 27 COVID-19 Assessment Centres (CACs) in Selangor carried out a thorough evaluation of patients before issuing the release order for those who have completed their quarantine period.

"We are the state with the highest number of COVID-19 cases and we are committed to ensuring the lives and health of the people are well preserved," he told a special Health Ministry media conference today.

Selangor recorded 5,263 new COVID-19 cases today, the highest compared to other states.

He also said that, on a normal day, the Malawati Stadium CAC would treat 1,500 cases a day but a total of 4,483 patients were reportedly at the stadium yesterday.

According to him, 1,900 patients were at the stadium yesterday to get their release order and the department had provided tents and chairs to ensure those who turned up would be managed properly.

Meanwhile, he said that to overcome the sudden surge in COVID-19 cases in the state, the department had made an estimation on the number of patients and deployed an additional 85 personnel from other states, besides adding staff from health clinics in the state.

He explained that the department also reduced the function of treating chronic cases in health clinics to 25 per cent so that their personnel could be mobilised.

"We also encourage any private doctors or organisations to create private CACs so as to reduce the number of patients at the existing CAC.

"We also carry out assessment and monitoring of cases at home through three methods, namely virtually, WhatsApp and phone calls," he said, adding that the department also provided pulse oximeters to those undergoing quarantine at home.

Meanwhile, Dr Sha'ari said the 1,000-capacity CAC at Dewan Taman Sri Andalas, set up to replace the Bandar Botanik CAC, had 1,924 people present when it opened yesterday.

With regard to this, he said a discussion with health officials, district officers, state assemblymen and local authorities resulted in them separating the patient accommodation area and the general public area.

Meanwhile, Health deputy director-general (public health) Datuk Dr Chong Chee Kheong said a four-point approach had been carried out under the Greater Klang Valley special task force to manage the pandemic, including working closely with the economic sectors.

"We realise that the movement control has a lot of negative impact on the economic sector. But at the same time, if we allow them to operate, we must ensure they take more responsibility in ensuring a safe work place as implemented by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI).

"They must have a detection system that identifies cases as we do not want people to come late into our healthcare system. If they come in early, we can treat them early," he said, adding that the task force would also work with external parties to seeks ideas and opinions to move forward.

Dr Chong, who heads the task force, said other approaches were to keep empowering the public to comply with the standard operating procedure (SOP) daily, which include social distancing and personal protection, as well as to ramp up the vaccination process.

The Greater Klang Valley special task force was set up by the Health Ministry to strengthen the healthcare system's preparedness in the Klang Valley to manage the COVID-19 pandemic.

-- BERNAMA