KOTA KINABALU – Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah denied that the healthcare system in Sabah is on the brink of collapse.
He also denied that Covid-19 positive patients have been turned away for home-quarantine due to full capacity at Sabah hospitals.
According to him, only 52 to 53% of 1,202 Covid-19 patients' beds in Sabah hospitals are occupied.
Of the 5,713 beds for all Covid-19 patients in Sabah, and only 33% are used. Similarly, for ventilators, out of 193, 33% are being used.
Of the 128 ICU beds in the state, about 69% are being used.
Nine hospitals in the state might be converted to increase space for ICU patients.
“Hence, Sabah healthcare system is not collapsing. So far, we are still able to cope and do not need to resort to sending a positive patient at home,” he said during today’s Ministry of Health (MOH) press conference in Putrajaya.
During the press conference, three reporters posed the same question on Sabah’s healthcare system.
“Speculation on financial constraint that is contributing to the struggles of hospitals in Sabah is also not true. There is no financial issue. We have activated the emergency fund for Sabah,” he added.
He stressed there is no shortage of human resources and medical equipment in the state.
“We have sent a total of 1,029 medical personnel to Sabah. Tomorrow 1,200 will join through our temporary contracts and they will add to this number.
“I do not understand why people like to use negative perception when facts and figures are showing differently. Get your facts right. We have accurate information on the Health Ministry’s social media,” he said.
Noor admits the MOH is facing difficulty in handling Covid-19 cases in Sabah as the scenario is different from the peninsula, because of the mobility and density of the population.
“However, we are more prepared this time (to be compared to) before March. In terms of human resources, facilities, PPE suits and others, we have started preparation much earlier; sending our resources to assist Sabah.
“What we need from Sabah is strong coordination within the state, not only the MOH but also the police, armed forces and all related agencies. Coordination in the state should be enhanced further, only then we can win this war,” he said.
Noor said that six more low-risk treatment centres have been identified in Sabah and will be set up when needed. The ministry will look into opening treatment centres in affected islands here, when needed.
Meanwhile, Sabah recorded 927 new Covid-19 cases today, with 532 in Kota Kinabalu alone.
The state government's official Covid-19 spokesman, Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun in his daily press conference said of the total, 439 cases are from the Kepayan Prison Cluster.
This was followed by Tawau district which recorded the second highest number of cases in the state at 81.
Sabah has recorded another new cluster (Kapor) located in the northern Kudat district with 46 cases.
The cumulative number of Covid-19 cases in the state is at 12,745.
To date, a total of 5,476 patients have been reported to have recovered.
A total of 7,164 patients are receiving treatment in wards throughout Sabah.
Masidi also announced that the enhanced movement control order (EMCO) at Taman Khazanah Indah and Mutiara Kasih flats, Lahad Datu and Felda Umas Kalabakan is to be extended for another two weeks from October 27 to November 9.
Also an EMCO will be implemented for a period of two weeks in Taman Mesra and Taman Mawar locality, Sandakan starting from October 28 until November 10.
To date, a total of 90,471 food baskets have been distributed to those in need.
On roadblocks in the state, Masidi said there were about 65, and they had inspected a total of 27,609 vehicles. – The Vibes, October 26, 2020.
Additional reporting by The Vibes team in Sabah
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