PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry is all geared up for any eventual surge in the number of Covid-19 patients in the near future.
Dr Suresh Kumar Chidambaram, Infectious Disease Consultant at Sungai Buloh Hospital, said the necessary preparations and facilities had been placed in readiness for any eventuality.
“It will involve us in increasing surge capacity of manpower and up-scaling of existing facilities,” he said.
He said while the Sungai Buloh Hospital will be the main dedicated health centre to treat the coronavirus infection, the Shah Alam Hospital and the Cheras Rehabilitation Hospital have also been designated for the purpose, if the need arises.
He said there were sufficient beds for Covid-19 patients at the Sungai Buloh Hospital.
At the moment the fourth and fifth floors of the hospital had been designated for Covid-19 patients with 112-beds respectively, while its Intensive Care Unit located on the 3rd floor with a capacity of 14-beds had been dedicated to serious victims requiring oxygen and intensive care, in the fight against the outbreak.
Dr Suresh said the existing patients from the two floors had been transferred to other nearby health facilities, so that the Sungai Buloh Hospital could concentrate on Covid-19 cases.
“We re-purpose it during the outbreak ... due to the limited funds available,” said Dr Suresh during a briefing session with editors and senior journalists at the Health Ministry here today.
Also present was Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, Health Ministry deputy director-general (public health) Datuk Dr Chong Chee Kheong, Deputy Director-General (Medical) Datuk Dr Rohaizat Yon and public health expert Dr Wan Noraini Wan Mohamed Nor.
The briefing for the journalists was on what the ministry had undertaken, is being done now and would undertake in the future in the fight against the dreaded Covid-19.
Dr Suresh said that apart from expanding facilities, the ministry would also re-purpose manpower from other public sector units as well bring them in from other states in the fight against the infection.
He cited the example of utilising auxiliary policemen for contact tracing if the existing public health personnel were unable to manage the increasing numbers of close contacts that need to be traced for possibility of being afflicted with the disease.
Meanwhile, Dr Wan Noraini said their surveillance using the influenza-like illness (ILI) protocol at public health clinics which is the first in line to receive possible Covid-19 patients among the Malaysian population has prevented spread of the disease at the community level.
The health ministry utilises the ILI and severe acute respiratory infection protocol to detect possible Covid-19 cases in the initial stag
Dr Noor Hisham said that the decision undertaken by the Health Ministry on the coronavirus was based on science and fact and not on rumours and hearsay.
He said there would be no ban on public gathering as well as limiting the number of people for such gatherings.
“If there are sporadic cases, then we will ban gatherings of any form but this also depends on the circumstances,” he said.
Dr Noor Hisham also said the ministry would not reveal Malaysian Covid-19 patient' details including their name and address as it was against patient confidentiality as well as against the Medical Act 1971.
He added confidentiality was also paramount to prevent stigmatisation of the person, his family and the location where such patients are from.