MoH continues looking for strategies to manage increasing COVID-19 cases

PUTRAJAYA: The Ministry of Health (MOH) is continuously looking for strategies to manage the increasing number of COVID-19 cases, says its minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba.

He said among the steps taken were increasing the bed capacity including converting MOH hospitals into full COVID-19 or hybrid COVID-19 hospitals and the number of Low Risk COVID-19 Treatment and Quarantine Centres (PKRC), introducing home isolation and monitoring for category one (asymptomatic) and category two (mildly symptomatic) patients, and engaging private hospitals to manage COVID-19 patients.

“In addition, our primary care services have set up COVID-19 Assessment Centres (CACs) in every district to assess COVID-19 patients on suitability for home isolation and monitoring.

“We have also engaged with general practitioners in assisting the MOH with the assessment of patients and giving health education on home isolation and monitoring,” he said in a statement today.

This is in response to an article titled, “You don't see what we see: A doctor tells his story of being ‘scared as hell’ of COVID-19” published by a online news portal on Tuesday.

Dr Adham said the MOH was also constantly increasing laboratory capacities to detect COVID-19 patients early by engaging other agencies, the universities and private laboratories to perform reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) and antigen rapid test kit (RTK Ag) testing.

Despite the public healthcare providers being understaffed and their staff being overworked, especially in Klang Valley, he said the MOH strived to overcome this situation in managing the pandemic.

A total of 3,617 health personnel have been mobilised from the MOH, as well as individual volunteers and others from non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the armed forces and other agencies since 2020.

“The MOH has also requested for additional staff and training of existing staff to handle more responsibilities.

“In handling emotionally-affected healthcare workers and those with burnout symptoms, the ministry has set up the Psychosocial Support Helpline at the national and state levels and also collaborates with other relevant government agencies and NGOs in these activities.

”In addition, the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support teams are also mobilised to hospitals and health facilities to provide psychological first aid to the healthcare workers and frontliners in need,” he said.

Dr Adham said the MOH implored the public, employers and individuals to assist in identifying close contacts in their localities for early action by the nearest District Health Office.

“MOH will continue to work with all government and non-governmental agencies to manage this pandemic.

“We would like to urge all Malaysians to comply with all the health advice given and adhere to all the SOPs outlined by the government, such as practising the 3Ws (wash, wear and warn) and avoid the 3Cs (crowded places, confined spaces and close conversations),” he added.

-- BERNAMA