Klang MP Charles Santiago has called on the government to dismiss or transfer inefficient hospital directors whose poor reactions to the Covid-19 crisis have compounded the issue.
Charles, in a statement today, said every hospital in the Klang Valley is facing a severe shortage of medical staff, ambulances, medical equipment, ICU facilities and beds.
"The government has to urgently allocate RM20 million for each hospital in Klang Valley, including Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital (HTAR) to expand ICU facilities and buy more ventilators and oxygen tanks," he said.
In his view, due to a lethal combination of a high admission rate of Covid-19 patients, low staffing and inadequate medical equipment, the Klang hospital is like a living hell for both patients and frontliners.
"We need the government to be responsive, mobilise and increase the number of medical staff immediately. This includes doctors, nurses, medical assistants and other medical personnel.
"The Health Ministry must transfer or dismiss hospital directors who have failed to administer efficiently in this critical time," added Charles.
He cited the case of his friend's mother-in-law who was infected and sent to HTAR and sat outside the Emergency Department for three days without receiving any medical care.
"She passed away on the fourth day because ventilator support was provided too late.
"This is not the only case that happened. We have been reading and hearing stories about patients having to take turns to share ventilators and oxygen tanks.
"Our frontliners are overwhelmed. They need to work 12 to 14 hours a day and the workload is increasing every day with the rise of positive cases," added the DAP lawmaker.
Malaysia currently has 170,224 active Covid-19 cases, with 1,023 patients in ICU and 524 intubated. The cumulative national death toll has reached 8,408.
Charles said that in Klang Hospital, three medical assistants are assigned to take care of 200 people a day.
"In other words, a medical assistant needs to complete a patient’s primary care within 15 minutes. This is absolutely inhumane.
"The government promised to transfer more medical personnel from other states to support the Klang General Hospital but unfortunately, the promise remains unfulfilled.
"Although many new wards have been opened, the staff shortage in Klang is still a significant issue, and it is getting worse and chaotically out of control," he said.
Charles said that in such a situation, the hospital was in a state of emergency and the government has failed to protect its people.
"If Perikatan Nasional is calling themselves ‘Kerajaan Prihatin’, it is the time for them to show their political will to support the frontliners and save the lives of the rakyat.
"And they can start by putting out the RM20 million, as opposed to dishing out a pittance," he said. - Mkini
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