PETALING JAYA: The government has been urged to form a central coordinating committee to oversee the procurement and distribution of medical equipment, as the country battles against the Covid-19 pandemic.
Former Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (pix) said this should be done immediately after various reports emerged of health facilities running out of equipment to handle the crisis.
Some health workers have resorted to procuring their own equipment, while others were forced to make their own personal protection equipment (PPE) suit and face shields.
“I must be honest and upfront about this. In the first place, why did the government allow the situation to degenerate to this extent?
“I call for a central coordinating committee overseen by any of the relevant agencies to handle this issue.
“The situation has resulted in this dire straits in many hospitals, especially in the remote areas. You can see the sorry state of our frontliners,” he said during BFM’s The Breakfast Grille show today.
Dzulkefly said he was made to understand that many non-governmental and civil society organisations were also beginning to purchase equipment by themselves in an attempt to assist health workers.
“However, this is not properly managed and organised. We are not doing it right. I must stress the urgency and importance (of this central committee),” he added.
Commenting further, Dzulkefly said in a crisis situation such as currently faced, ministries should also no longer work in silos, noting how those in the Health Ministry were already stretched to the limit.
He said other relevant ministries should also contribute to the cause and help the country overcome the coronavirus.
“Most of the Health Ministry’s resources are already firefighting round the clock, they are over-stretched. Others must come to contribute,” he said.
