KUALA LUMPUR – Private healthcare facilities are ready to accommodate Covid-19 patients as earlier directed by the government, Private Healthcare Productivity Nexus (PHPN) chairman Datuk Dr Jacob Thomas said.
Dr Thomas said the private hospitals had provided 71 units of ventilators to government hospitals nationwide, when cases in intensive and coronary care units began to show a decline – a matter that has been confirmed by Association of Private Hospitals of Malaysia president Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh in a statement recently.
Dr Kuljit said private healthcare providers had always supported the government in dealing with any healthcare-related situation in the country, more so when there was a surge in daily Covid-19 cases.
“In addition, non-Covid-19 patients, such as those needing dialysis and surgery, were transferred to private hospitals. This was to reduce the risk of infection and at the same time, increase ward and bed capacity in government hospitals,” he said in the statement.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba in a statement on January 28 said that engaging private hospitals to manage Covid-19 patients was among the steps taken by the ministry to address the increasing number of cases.
Meanwhile, Dr Thomas said among the measures taken by PHPN in assisting the government were providing screening centres and conducting swab tests on foreign workers at private hospitals. So far, 130 private facilities have set up Covid-19 screening centres.
“PHPN also acted fast when the country was hit by the pandemic by creating the Public-Private Partnership model to encourage private-sector involvement and improve the quality of health services provided by the government,” he said.
He said these initiatives are aimed at reducing hospital congestion caused by Covid-19 patients, who are now beginning to overstretch government health facilities.
He said with systematic and holistic approach to change, private hospitals will be able to make optimal use of resources such as equipment, technology, expertise and healthcare staff.
“All these will contribute to increases in productivity in government hospitals, where front-line workers are in a challenging situation; faced with physical and mental stress,” he said.
PHPN is a productivity increase initiative led by the private sector and supported by Malaysia Productivity Corporation. – Bernama, February 2, 2021
