PETALING JAYA: There is growing concern over the Covid-19 situation in the country amid the spike in cases and the increasing number of clusters in Sabah and other states over the past few weeks.
Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) president Prof Datuk Dr. Subramaniam Muniandy said these next two to three weeks will be important in controlling the spread of Covid-19 infections as a large number of travelers from Sabah will be returning to other states after the Sabah state elections on Sept 26.
“We laud the decision by the Health Ministry to test all returnees and impose a quarantine on all returnees from Sabah as preventive measures being taken.
“All returnees must ensure they fully adhere to the quarantine and SOPs or new clusters can emerge all over the country,“ he said.
He urged the government to look into placing returnees at quarantine centres in cases where physical distancing and isolation is not possible in a home setting. In referring to cases of returnees flouting home quarantine, centres would be a safer option.
He said employers of Sabahans here should ensure their employees returning from Sabah, report to work only if they are certified medically fit and declared Covid-19 free.
“Employees must be up front with their employers on their health status with proper documentation” he said.
Dr. Subramaniam reminded all healthcare workers and GPs to ensure they adhere to all infectious disease control protocols in their practice and not let their guard down at all times.
He said healthcare workers must be consistent in ensuring they observe preventive measures when seeing patients and even while off duty or patients and loved ones of healthcare workers can be at risk of infection.”
Dr. N. Ganabaskaran officially handed over the reins to Dr. Subramaniam to lead in the next term (2020-21) as MMA President at a ceremony held at its first ever ‘virtual’ MMA Annual General Meeting held on Saturday at the association’s headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.
In his inaugural address to MMA members via Zoom Dr Subramaniam said he will continue to look into current issues faced by the medical fraternity, work closely with the government and endeavour to find solutions.
“I am looking forward to working closely with our Private Practitioners Section (PPS) and Section Concerning House Officers and Medical Officers (SCHOMOS) and all newly elected office bearers to resolve issues faced by our colleagues.
“MMA will continue to engage and work closely with government on all issues concerning healthcare. I look forward to meeting often with MOH and continue with the special relationship MMA has built with the ministry over the years,“ he said.
Dr Subramaniam said he will look into the issues faced by junior doctors as well as issues faced by the country’s 7,000 GPs, MMA has in total, 12,553 members.
MMA’s new line-up of Exco members:
President: Professor Dauk Dr Subramaniam Muniandy: Immediate Past President: Dr N. Ganabaskaran: President Elect, Dr Koh Kar Chai, Honorary Gen Secretary’ Dr Thirunavukarasu Rajoo, Honorary Gen Treasurer, Dr Vasu Pillai Letchumanan, Honorary Deputy Secretaries Dr Arvindran Alaga, Dr Kevin Ng Wei Shan, Chairman, SCHOMOS, Dr Vijay Ganasan, Chairman, PPS, Dr L Sivanaesan
