GEORGE TOWN – Amid the surge in Covid-19 cases, some medical practitioners and specialists are disappointed with the Penang government’s efforts to manage the pandemic, citing a lack of coordination while the public sector is bogged down by bureaucracy.
Under the condition of anonymity, a source told The Vibes that there is a disconnect between the Penang government and Health Department, partly due to rifts between the federal and state governments.
Penang is governed by federal opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan.
He said state health exco Dr Norlela Ariffin also seems detached from the situation on the ground, and offers of help from the private healthcare sector have been met with a lukewarm response.
“There were differing standards of practice between districts, with some public medical officials treating their areas like mini kingdoms with their own set of guidelines, and greeting offerings of help with disdain.
“The bureaucracy has impaired the effectiveness of the response to Covid-19, and it will be felt by patients in terms of the pace of treatment, and the availability of equipment and medication.”
Another example cited by the source was that several doctors were “not allowed” when Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin visited Penang recently.
The source alleged that public officials were “afraid that private doctors might do better than their public counterparts”.
Penang currently has the highest rate for deaths per 100,000 at 16.1 as of yesterday. Penang General Hospital is also stretched in terms of resources as armed forces have been deployed to build a field hospital in the car park.
Norlela could not be reached for comments but Penang PKR vice-chairman Jason Ong Khan Lee was not surprised by the allegations by the doctors.
“I think it is too late now to do much. We can only hope that the vaccination strategy will yield good results, but more could have been done earlier.”
He said he does not rely on Dr Norlela as she is probably overwhelmed by other duties, and that he prefers to ease the state’s burden by liaising directly with the northeast district health officials on Covid-19 issues.
He added that Malaysia must not be blinded by its fight against Covid-19 but learn from China, Taiwan, and South Korea.
“Learn from them. It is only for our own sake.
“Our enforcement must be consistent and strict. This is where the public sector lacks the conviction, hence our struggle to contain the pandemic.” – The Vibes, September 24, 2021
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