SACRIFICES of doctors and nurses with regards to Covid-19 outbreak have been highlighted by the mass media. Nevertheless, there is a group of frontliners made up of health inspectors, now known as environmental health officers/assistant environmental health officers will be the first and the only frontliners in the field during any outbreaks of infectious diseases until such outbreaks are controlled.
They are there to investigate cases, trace contacts, carry out health promotion activities and lastly but not least enforce public health laws. Nevertheless, this group of dedicated frontliners are hardly given due recognition for the work done.
They too have to leave their family behind, forego rest and lunch breaks, work under the scorching sun and last but not least get the full force of abuse from the public. They are also in direct contact with infection(s) that they are trying to control.
Has anyone given a thought as to why there is an increase in Covid-19 cases day by day. The answer is case detection and contact tracing. But no one ever ponders who are the personnel carrying out these activities. They are the environmental health officers and their assistants. Through their tireless effort they are able to detect new cases and track down healthy carriers.
As such, I sincerely hope due recognition be given to environmental health officers and their assistants, health nurses and the health overseers for their sacrifice in controlling the outbreak.
Ewe Teik Hock
Bekas Ketua PPKP
