GEORGE TOWN – Private general practitioners should be recruited to monitor Covid-19 patients quarantined at home due to the limited space available in public hospitals, says the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA).
Its president Datuk Dr Subramaniam Muniandy said while it is understandable for patients who are asymptomatic or have minor symptoms to stay and be treated at home, they must be closely supervised to ensure that medical help is on hand for prompt treatment if their condition worsens.
Also, he added, such patients must be self-disciplined for the sake of public health, and only exit their quarantine after the stipulated days of confinement.
In an interview, Dr Subramaniam said the move to keep mild cases at home or in less well-supported environments is understandable in view of the surge in infections, but added that the onus is on the patients and their home carers to monitor their symptoms to detect the progression of the virus.
He pointed out that in other countries, many such patients needed to be brought back to hospitals when they turned critically ill, and at times passed away.
This is because the disease’s progression may be swift, and laypersons may not have the expertise or experience to diagnose advancing complications.
For example, the widely circulated information for patients to report twice a day on their SpO2 (peripheral oxygen saturation) is manifestly inadequate in medical terms.
“What if the patient deteriorates between these 12-hour intervals or at inconvenient times during the night?” the medical doctor said.
“The logistics and access, as well as the inconvenience, may deter one from accessing care. This will be the biggest tragedy.”
Instead, private general practitioners should be recruited to form a critical layer to help monitor self-isolating patients, with available technology for remote monitoring and appropriate response by experienced doctors on the ground.
“It is also important that medical devices used are of high standard and approved by regulatory bodies, and not (those) sold by the dozen online, which is equal to having care provided by unqualified staff members.
“We cannot jeopardise our people’s health, and private doctors can help if provided the right tools and information.
“The situation will worsen over the next few weeks, and we must start now to incorporate technology and call centres in this national effort to sever the transmission rate of Covid-19.”
Dr Subramaniam also calls on the Health Ministry to learn from its counterparts in countries that have done well in managing the pandemic, and adopt the policies that have worked.
“We need short-term and long-term planning in managing Covid-19.” – The Vibes, February 11, 2021
