KJ’s 100-day goals: teens’ Covid-19 jab, solution for contract doctors, and more

PUTRAJAYA – With Covid-19 expected to enter the endemic phase in Malaysia by next month, the Health Ministry has outlined more than 20 key performance indicators (KPIs) to be achieved within 100 days.

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the KPIs are to ensure preparation and transition efforts are implemented in the best possible way.

“Our focus is to ensure that the people understand well the new norms when entering the endemic phase. Also, MoH will never abandon other health matters (those unrelated to Covid-19),” he said in a special interview on the ministry’s 100-day KPI target under his watch.

Khairy said among the areas of focus is vaccination for children aged 12 to 17, and the announcement on a third Covid-19 vaccine dose, or the booster shot.

He expressed hope that as many teenagers as possible will get vaccinated before the new school term begins next year. 

“Within 100 days, we will start vaccinating children aged 12 to 17. Our target (number of recipients) will be announced based on the supply of vaccines, but we will give vaccines to this group for sure.

“It will start next week in Sarawak because they have reached the threshold value of 80%. My hope is that in 100 days, as many teenagers as possible get vaccinated so that by the beginning of the school year (in 2022), our teenagers will have completed their vaccination.”

The target of 80% of Malaysia’s adult population being fully inoculated will be achieved in the same period, he said.

Khairy said the ministry is determined to see the number of hospital beds needed for coronavirus patients reduced within 100 days.

“We will ensure that the percentage of ICU beds for Covid-19 case is less than 70%, and for non-ICU beds, under 50%.

“We will ensure oxygen tanks at health facilities are adequate by ensuring that each facility has tanks in excess of 85% of the requirement.”

He said another target is to reduce the percentage of brought-in-dead cases from 21% to 15%, as well as expanding the Virtual Covid-19 Assessment Centre initiative in Kelantan, Melaka, Penang, Johor and Perak. 

MoH will also share detailed data on Covid-19 with the public starting Monday, in an effort to boost transparency and public trust, he said.

Khairy said the ministry will increase genomic surveillance to ensure new virus variants are quickly detected in Malaysia, and that other goals include releasing clinical trial data on the use of ivermectin in Covid-19 treatment.

He said MoH will approve more self-test kits and expand the types of premises allowed to sell these kits by imposing conditions related to controls on the sale of the said items.

He said the ministry also plans to provide self-test kits for free to the B40 and other vulnerable groups.

He added that the ministry is providing a two-way communication channel between him and frontliners, who can contact him via a special email – [email protected] – should they face issues.

“I want direct reports on problems on the front lines. This is also to provide a direct means of communication between the frontliners and me.”

On KPIs not to do with Covid-19, he said MoH will tax more kinds of sweetened beverages.

In July 2019, the government implemented a sugar tax on such drinks – an excise tax of 40 sen was imposed on 1l soft drinks containing over 5g of sugar or sugar-based sweeteners for every 100ml.

Khairy said the ministry will set up a committee to tackle the problem of stunted growth among children, which occurs due to an imbalanced diet over a long period.

The 2019 National Health and Morbidity Survey found that the number of stunted children in Malaysia had risen to 21.8% that year compared with 20.7%, or 503,723 kids, in 2016.

Khairy gave an assurance that he will do his best to come up with a solution to the issue of contract doctors in his first 100 days as health minister.

The matter is being discussed with public service stakeholders, and the outcome will be announced later, he said.

“I will work out the best possible solution to the issue of contract doctors. There are details that I don’t wish to announce yet because discussions are still under way with the Treasury (Finance Ministry) and Public Service Department.

“We will be able to see a good solution to the contract doctor issue in 100 days.”

On July 26, Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said the government has agreed to extend the contracts of some 14,000 medical doctors, dentists and pharmacists for a period of two years – or 7,000 per cohort/year – involving a financial implication of RM1.2 billion.

Khairy, who is also Rembau MP, stressed the issue of mental health in MoH’s 100-day road map.  

Only a small percentage of the public knows about the support lines available, and as such, the ministry will raise awareness through the Let’s TALK media campaign aimed at boosting mental wellness, he said.

“We will also increase the number of non-governmental organisations involved in mental health advocacy. Now, we already have 20 NGOs; we will add 20 more. We will fund them to offer services on mental health.”

In addition, he said, MoH will improve primary health services to the community through the use of teleconsultation at selected clinics. – Bernama, September 4, 2021