KUALA LUMPUR – With national strategies to battle Covid-19 appearing to fail, medical associations have proposed a Health Emergency Action Plan (HEAP) that calls for the involvement of non-governmental organisations to tackle the virus’ spread.
HEAP is based on transparency and inclusivity instead of lockdowns.
For individuals under home quarantine, the plan suggests that doctors monitor patients daily via video calls.
“Should they have symptoms or show signs of deterioration, immediate orders for hospitalisation should be given,” said HEAP.
“If hospitals are overrun, selected NGOs can be empowered to provide support (including home oxygen therapy and monitoring).”
It recommends that patients be sent to quarantine centres only when they lack the facilities to self-isolate at home.
Civil groups should be empowered to set up more quarantine facilities with individual rooms, good ventilation and food supply that are connected to the Health Ministry’s network of such centres, it said.
On contract doctors’ push for improved benefits, HEAP said there should be better solutions for all healthcare personnel without permanent posts.
“This will require a combination of more permanent posts, longer contract periods, equal benefits, and clearer career progression pathways.”
It also called for the full and transparent sharing of Covid-19 data so that the true nature of the situation is properly communicated to and understood by the public.
The data shared must be “granular, down to the district level, with the unique identifiers of patients removed”, it said.
“Report data on Covid-19 intelligently and comprehensively to the public, so that test numbers are linked to daily cases. Be transparent on the delay in reporting data.”
HEAP is endorsed by 20 medical groups and 18 healthcare professionals, with the document prepared by Datuk Dr Amar Singh-HSS, Dr Khor Swee Kheng, Prof Datuk Dr Lokman Hakim Sulaiman and Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar. – The Vibes, July 21, 2021
