GEORGE TOWN – Newly appointed Deputy Health Director-General (DG) Datuk Dr Asmayani Khalib commended fellow combatting comrades in Penang, who continue to face Covid-19 with sheer grit and under heavy constraints.
Dr Asmayani, who has served as Penang health director since 2019, took umbrage at gripes against authorities overseeing public hospitals in the state, despite the health facilities coping with a non-stop stream of patients.
She urged the public to support frontliners, telling The Vibes that the situation at Penang Hospital is akin to war.
“These are the hardships that the frontliners and management have to go through, but we are still surviving and standing on our two feet.
We make do with what we have. We are trying, but we need everyone’s help.”
Health DG Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, announcing the appointment in a Facebook post, said Dr Asmayani replaces Datuk Dr Norhizan Ismail, who retired yesterday.
Dr Asmayani said her team has put in the maximum effort to provide the best for patients under limited resources.
“It is akin to facing this pandemic alone. We have to fight the pandemic, while also fighting internal problems inflamed by a handful of individuals. Our country is currently at war against Covid-19.
“We at the Health Ministry and state Health Department are always questioning ourselves about our readiness, as we have seen such a (large) surge of cases in the past three weeks.
“We need to be prepared for any eventuality, and this is part of our various planning as we do not want to be caught unprepared if the worst happens.”
Penang has seen an escalation of Covid-19 cases in the past few weeks, from just 200 a day to more than 1,000.
This has forced authorities to close the outpatient department (OPD) at Penang Hospital and convert it into a coronavirus ward.
In mere days, waiting areas that housed rows of chairs now make room for mattresses on plastic crates, with oxygen tanks lining the walls and makeshift drip folders on windowsills to accommodate would-be patients.
Photos of the condition at Penang Hospital have been shared with The Vibes, showing the attempt by authorities to prepare for a deluge of Covid-19 patients, with beds arranged along the OPD corridor.
However, there has been concern about social distancing, and the fact that staffers are expected to take showers in the hospital toilet.
“Are we not in a pandemic right now? If no action is taken, it will be criticised by journalists and the public. (But) when action is taken, it is still criticised. I am very disappointed and saddened by all this,” said Dr Asmayani.
“The Penang Health Department and hospital management are trying their best to provide beds and the necessary equipment. I am not sure what will happen if we are not ready to accommodate this surge in (Covid-19) cases.” – The Vibes, August 18, 2021
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