KUALA LUMPUR: Local health professionals have urged for a strong, calm and sensible response to tackle the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak.
“We stand in strong support and partnership with the Health Ministry, and we have trust and confidence in their efforts to protect the health of Malaysians.
“We urge the rakyat, politicians, media and stakeholders to act responsibly during this period,” said a joint statement by prominent health professionals and associations.
They expressed concern for the people who wanted to protect themselves and their families.
“The best way is to remain calm, to trust official sources of information and to practise the precautions advised by the Health Ministry.
“It is illegal to spread false rumours or news, and wrong to politicise the situation or harm our social harmony,” the statement said.
It also said Malaysia had the capability to handle outbreaks, and the measures had been commended by the World Health Organisation.
Health professionals had protected Malaysia from viruses such as Nipah in 1998, SARS in 2003, H1N1 in 2009 and MERS in 2014. In non-outbreak periods, they worked hard to reduce dengue, tuberculosis and HIV, which are critical diseases.
“Yang Di-Pertuan Agong (Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah) has instructed the rakyat to stop spreading rumours and controversies, and to remain calm,” the statement said.
It added that as the situation developed, new measures would be taken to tackle the outbreak.
Those who issued the joint statement included physician and specialist in health systems and policy Dr Khor Swee Kheng, Mercy Malaysia founder Tan Sri Dr Jemilah Mahmood, Universiti Malaya Dean of Medicine Prof Datuk Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Dean of Medicine Prof Dr Raja Affendi Raja Ali, Islamic Medical Association Malaysia president Dr Jeffrey Abu Hassan, Malaysian Medical Association president Dr N. Ganabaskaran, Academy of Family Physicians Malaysia president Associate Prof Dr Mohammad Husni Jamal, Malaysian Pharmaceutical Society president Amrahi Buang, Medical Mythbusters Malaysia president Dr Ahmad Firdaus Mohd Haris and Malaysian Nurses Association president Sharipah Asiah Syed Junid Aljunid.