PUTRAJAYA: The government will channel additional allocations totalling RM600 million to the Ministry of Health (MOH) to support the ministry’s efforts to tackle Covid-19, including the recruitment of new staff on a contract basis, especially nurses.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (pix) said of the total, RM500 million will be used to purchase medical equipment, such as ventilators, essential intensive care unit (ICU) equipment, extra personal protection equipment (PPE) for general medical staff and laboratory equipment for screening of Covid-19.
“The government has also approved an emergency procurement procedure to expedite the purchase of this critical equipment,” he told a press conference here today, which was broadcast live on national televisions and radios, as well as social media.
Muhyiddin said the remaining RM100 million is for the MOH to appoint 2,000 new staff on a contract basis, especially nurses.
“Many nurses and hospital staff are already exhausted as they have to work day and night to carry out Covid-19 tests and screening, and at the same time helping those who were tested positive.
“I hope the recruitment of these new staff can be done immediately so that all hospitals in the country will have the adequate number of manpower to curb the spread of Covid-19,” he said.
The Covid-19 pandemic originated in China in late December last year before it spread to the whole world and Malaysia reported its first case on Jan 25 this year.
As of noon today, Malaysia reported over 1,300 positive Covid-19 cases, with 11 deaths due to the disease.
At the press conference held after chairing the meeting of the Economic Action Council (EAC) today, Muhyiddin was also asked about the steep rise in the price of facemask due to the shortage of supply in the market.
The prime minister said he had instructed Senior Minister of Defence Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Senior Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali and Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi to discuss the matter with the manufacturers and to set the price according to the price control procedures.
“This is to ensure that the price will not be too high because we are currently in a crisis situation and we hope that the parties involved will, firstly, ensure that the manufacturers are able to produce sufficient supply and sell it at a reasonable price,” he said.
Secondly, he said there were about five manufacturers in Malaysia currently in operation to produce face masks for local distribution.
“However, I was informed that they are currently facing problems in getting raw materials, which are mostly imported, to produce the face mask,” he said.
Muhyiddin also expressed hope that the problem would be solved soon and that the production capacity of two to three million face masks a month could be achieved to meet the domestic demand, especially now that temporary ban on the export of face mask had been imposed.
Furthermore, he said the government has also approved the import of 10 million face masks from China.
“The price is RM1.18 sen per unit. Once it arrived, I will announce. We will distribute it for free to the people who need it most. That is the government’s contribution to help the people in facing this crisis,” he said.
On the concerns of foreign workers or migrants about the fees to undergo health screening at government hospitals, Muhyiddin agreed that there were certain fees that need to be paid, but it is equally important for the foreigners to undergo the health screening to flatten the curve of infection of Covid-19 in the country.
“Although they are foreign workers ... I call on their employers to advise them to undergo health screening and to seek medical treatment if they were symptomatic, but if they are not, just stay at home until the MCO period is over,” he added. - Bernama
