GEORGE TOWN – The country could have avoided its over one million Covid-19 caseload if health authorities had further cooperated with state governments and the private sector.
Penang Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said cooperation between the three parties should have included the sharing of resources and providing necessary support to battle the pandemic.
Instead, he added, the offers of help from state governments were frowned upon and met with disdain.
Phee said health authorities seem to have the impression that by admitting they need outside help, “their clout of ultimate authority over the handling of Covid-19 may be eroded”.
Politics aside, there is a need to drop the domineering culture by the centralised government, he added.
“They should instead embrace the hindsight of building better rapport with the various levels of administration – from the districts to states, and the private sector.
“We cannot be centralised if we want to effectively combat this pandemic. There is this self-imposed barrier towards further cooperating with us to fight the virus.”
He said the state government has helped where it can, citing the aid extended to Kepala Batas Hospital yesterday, when the health facility was overwhelmed with Covid-19 patients.
“It led to a need to erect canopies outside the hospital. Penang provided some equipment to be used inside the canopies.”
Phee was among the earliest leaders to sense that Covid-19 would turn up to be the biggest healthcare crisis in the country when he distributed face masks and hand sanitisers as early as December 2019.
This was when the virus was first reported in Wuhan, China.
The state exco said the reports of the virus from China alarmed him, but lamented that the authorities began reacting only during the first lockdown in March last year.
He urged the health authorities to consider updating the equipment used to treat Covid-19 patients in Categories 4 and 5, including using state-of-the-art oxygen tanks.
“There is no harm in purchasing the latest technology to treat patients.
“Authorities should also consider converting schools into temporary quarantine or treatment centres since academic sessions have been indefinitely suspended.
“Penang had offered to convert old nursing quarters near Penang Hospital to provide 100 beds for critically ill Covid-19 patients, but it was rejected.”
Penang exco Jagdeep Singh Deo, who oversees the mass screening in the state, said the initiative has received 13,309 registrations, with 11,330 being screened.
“Of the tested individuals, 126, or 1.11%, were positive.
“We will continue with this programme at all our state constituencies. This weekend (it) will be at Stadium MBSP in Jalan Betek; Dewan Balora Mastika at SK Kongsi in Balik Pulau; Dewan Chong Kuang in Sg Bakap; MBPP Community Hall in Teluk Bahang; the basketball court in Taman Bukit Panchor, Nibong Tebal; and, Dewan Bukit Belah in Bayan Lepas.”
He said the state is expecting another 2,000 participants.
Those keen to be screened can do so by visiting this link. – The Vibes, July 27, 2021
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