Safety, basic needs of health workers taken care of - Dr Sha'ari Ngadiman

SHAH ALAM: SHAH ALAM, Jan 17 (Bernama) -The Selangor State Health Department (JKNS) is paying attention to the work environment, basic needs and safety of health personnel at its facilities.

Its director, Datuk Dr Sha'ari Ngadiman said this in response to an article titled, 'LETTER: A Tired Doctor From Sungai Buloh Asks To Be Treated Humanely', posted on a news portal yesterday, to ensure efficient and quality treatment for patients.

He said the JKNS had engaged additional medical officers, nurses, assistant medical officers and health treatment assistants through redeployment within the state and from other states, besides more staff through hiring of new contract officers by the Ministry of Health (MOH) for Sungai Buloh Hospital.

"At Sungai Buloh Hospital and other hospitals in Selangor, personnel handling COVID-19 cases are given an allowance by the government, overtime allowance for those who have to work extra hours and other allowances that are felt necessary," he said in a statement, here, today.

On the provision of food, Dr Sha'ari said this was based on qualifying for it as contained in the MOH circular, whereby all recalled medical personnel would be provided with food.

COVID-JKNS 2 (LAST) SHAH ALAM

"However, food could still be obtained from the cafeterias or ordered online," he added.

Dr Sha'ari also stated that the medical officers and staff in other categories stationed at the COVID-19 wards were working on shifts to lessen the workload while the rest days were given fairly.

"Each COVID-19 ward has a safe rest area for the health personnel to relax, eat and pray and they are also supplied with enough personal protective equipment (PPE) to prevent cross infection, while the financial and allocation and supply are sufficient.

"The hospitals also provide psychological counselling services for moral support as well as advice for the health personnel who need such services.

"All feedback from the health personnel will be forwarded to the hospitals' management and then to JKNS and MOH for further action," he said.

Yesterday, a news portal published a letter by a doctor from Sungai Buloh Hospital on the burden that has to be shouldered by health personnel at the hospital and who also claimed the shortage of basic facilities like room and food for the shift workers on call.

-- BERNAMA