PUTRAJAYA, July 10 — A total of 509 private general medical practitioners (GPs) have been given authorisation letters to issue home surveillance and observation (HSO) orders to COVID-19 patients.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said the HSO would be issued to positive patients who would then be treated at the COVID-19 Quarantine and Low-Risk Treatment Centre (PKRC) managed by a private medical centre or at their respective homes.
“A total of 509 GPs have been given the authorisation letters to issue HSO bracelets for patients who tested positive to be treated at the PKRC or sent home and monitored,” he said.
Dr Adham said this in a special press conference on the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) preparedness and strategy in managing the COVID-19 pandemic in the Klang Valley, today.
He said the MOH received applications from time to time in accordance with the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342).
“Cooperation between GPs and private medical centres has increased in assisting the MOH,” he said.
Dr Adham said the MOH was working with private medical practitioners and employers to set up a COVID-19 Assessment Centre and PKRC.
In another development, Dr Adham said a total of 2,341 fully vaccinated healthcare personnel were infected but did not have severe symptoms.
“A total of 2,341 healthcare personnel became infected after being vaccinated, of which 778 people in category one, 1,559 in category two, two people in category three and four respectively, while none for category five.
“The advantage of vaccines is that these individuals do not reach category five and reduce severity and mortality. Vaccines protect healthcare personnel from severe infection,” he said.
He said a total of 9,392 healthcare workers had been infected with COVID-19 since the pandemic hit the country, involving 3,411 nurses and 1,229 medical officers.
Meanwhile, MOH secretary-general Datuk Mohd Shafiq Abdullah said the issue of funding applications from the private sector did not arise because the funds provided by the Ministry of Finance (MOH) were sufficient for the management of COVID-19.
A total of RM1 billion has been spent to meet current needs and the MOH is currently discussing with the MOF for an additional RM1 billion as part of preparations until this December, in the event that the number of cases continues to rise.
