GEORGE TOWN – Penang Hospital is bracing for a sudden shortage of doctors with the departure of its junior doctors to Labuan, Sabah and Selangor, to join in efforts to treat and manage Covid-19 in these states.
A healthcare source told The Vibes that about 70 junior doctors left the state over the last two weeks. All are under contract with the Health Ministry.
The source said several departments at the hospital may experience a lack of manpower due to this situation.
When contacted, State Public Health Committee chairman Norlela Ariffin said the issue relating to the lack of medical manpower was not brought up during the state’s national security meeting, but added that she will raise it to the relevant authority.
Meanwhile, a Covid-19 case has been detected at the Penang Development Corporation (PDC), forcing the state’s investment agency to close operations for sanitisation.
PDC, in a statement, confirmed that one staff member has been infected by the virus.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow expressed appreciation to the National Security Council special session for implementing conditional movement control orders (CMCO) only in targeted locations in the state.
The CMCO, extended until December 20, will affect only those living in Mukim 12 in the southwest district and Mukim 13 in the northeast district.
The enforced movement control order (EMCO) will be implemented starting tomorrow in Persiaran Paya Terubong, Relau, involving approximately 10,000 people, and the Bistari Desa Flat estate (blocks A and B) in Batu Uban, involving 2,300 people.
However, some foreign workers staying at this estate were reported to have fled their homes after the EMCO.
Northeast district police chief Soffian Santong said they still do not know how many have run away.
He advised those who have fled to return or face action upon arrest.
He requested estate residents and those living in the vicinity to cooperate with police by providing details of those who fled.
Penang reported 31 new Covid-19 cases today. Of these 20 are from current clusters. – The Vibes, December 6, 2020.
