KUALA LUMPUR – The Ministry of Health (MOH) is looking at delegating powers to private medical practitioners to handle COVID-19 patients.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said so far, private medical practitioners were not authorised to deal with COVID-19 cases and only can refer them to a government facility.
“With these delegated powers given, private facility doctors will be allowed to order high risk patients to undergo home surveillance order (HSO) and wear bracelets for monitoring.
“After completing the HSO, they can issue release orders as well as cut the patient’s bracelet,” he said in a Covid-19 State of Emergency engagement session held virtually with the media today.
The session was also attended by Sungai Buloh Hospital Infectious Disease Senior Consultant Specialist Datuk Dr C Suresh Kumar, Institute of Medical Research (IMR) Head of Virology Unit Dr T Ravindran, Director of the National Public Health Laboratory, Dr Hani Mat Hussin and Senior Principal Assistant Director of MOH’s Medical Practice division, Dr Mohamed Ahsan Mohamed Ismail.
To date, there are almost 100 private hospitals nationwide ready to treat COVID-19 patients through public-private partnerships with a capacity of over 1,000 beds, 65 beds in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 64 ventilators, he said.
“Although we have not referred our patients to private hospitals, but these hospitals are ready to accept COVID-19 patients, and so far 86 cases are being treated in private hospitals,” he said.
In addition, the MOH is also considering amending Act 586 to regulate the price of screening tests in private facilities.
“So far there is no specific act that allows the MOH to control the price but patients have the right to be informed of the price before a procedure is performed. As for Act 586, previously we used it to set the ceiling price of face masks,” he said.
Dr Noor Hisham said MOH is also currently in the process of raising the compound rate in Act 342 which is currently at a maximum of RM1,000.
The amount of compound is seen as insufficient for large-scale companies such as factories that have hundreds of employees who can cause the pandemic to spread, he said.
Sigh of relief
The operators of barbershops/hairdressers, night markets and car wash services meanwhile are breathing a sigh of relief after the government allowed them, subject to compliance with standard operating procedures (SOP), to reopen their businesses from today.
In fact, some shed even tears of joy to see customers coming back again even though some did not reach the number of customers they enjoyed pre-COVID-19/Movement Control Order days since March last year.
Penang Indian Barber Association treasurer, V. Tharmararaj said he received a large number of customers today. He said his association is ready to implement strict SOPs to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 infection.
Tharmararaj was pleased to see a queue of customers of all races as early as 9.40 am wanting haircuts at his family’s barber shop.
“We received a phone call from association members yesterday, and all of them were happy and very grateful (to the government).
“But at the same time, there are friends (in the business) who do not have a good supply of personal protective equipment (PPE). They cannot afford to buy them (PPE) and these are also difficult to find. So we share our stock so that everyone can operate as soon as possible,” he told Bernama today.
He is confident that many barbers are also moved by the overwhelming response on the first day (of operations) after facing severe financial problems for so long.
Not many customers
However, fortunes seemed different on the first day of reopening for car wash centres around Seberang Perai, Penang. Even though the centres opened as early as 8 am, they received discouraging numbers in customers.
The manager of Automatic Car Wash Centre in Permatang Rawa, Ng Jun Yao said since 8 am, the response was not as how it used to be during pre-Chinese New Year.
“Years ago, if it was close to the Chinese New Year celebration, many returning to the village would stop here to wash their cars. Now we only depend on the people around here. Nevertheless, I am happy to be allowed to operate again,” he said.
He said his company continued to pay the salaries of about 12 employees and also provided them food even though the business was not allowed to operate.
In Tanah Merah, Kelantan, a barbershop owner, Ku Syafiq Izzat Ku Aziz, 24, said he was relieved because he relied entirely on the business for his livelihood.
“It gives me hope as previously I was unable to find another source of income. I have been supporting my family since my father died five years ago.
“With an uncertain income of sometimes RM50 a day, this is my main source of income,” he added.
Meanwhile, Norhisyam Sidek, 31, who operates a clothing business at the night market around here, is grateful that night markets can resume operations. It has given “life” to small traders like himself to earn income once again.
Yesterday, Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that night markets, barbershops/hairdressers, and car wash centres will be allowed to reopen after evaluating the sectors in terms of risk and the number of clusters produced for each business activity.
