Over 1,000 retired healthcare workers start duty at frontlines of Covid-19

CORONAVIRUS | Over 1,000 retired doctors and nurses have returned to serve the country, working at the frontlines to handle Covid-19 cases in government hospitals, revealed Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

He told reporters that the volunteers had started their duties in batches since early this week and their number was expected to grow daily.

"They have started. Whoever came first, we have deployed them for duties.

"We are not waiting until we can get 3,000 retirees and then only deploy them. We see what is their expertise, either they have experience working in hospital wards or intensive care units, and then take them into service," Noor Hisham said.

According to him, among those who have volunteered were also specialists. Most of them were deployed to the Sungai Buloh Hospital which is the main facility designated by the Health Ministry (MOH) to fight Covid-19.

On Monday, Noor Hisham told a press conference that the ministry was recalling its retired doctors and nurses to reinforce its frontlines in the face of the Covid-19 outbreak.

They have since received an overwhelming number of applications from retired healthcare workers who want to volunteer for the initiative, including from at least 3,000 nurses.

"We are targeting 3,000 (in additional manpower)," said Noor Hisham today.

Asked on Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's order for MOH to allow its frontliners to go on leave in stages, so as to let them get some rest, he said they are in the process of implementing the order.

Besides reinforcing its frontline workers with the retired volunteers, Noor Hisham said they are also recalling some 3,500 nurses and medical assistants who are currently on post-basic training.

"These include 2,400 trained nurses. We have already deployed them to hospitals and clinics."

Private healthcare facilities need to be ready to treat Covid-19

Meanwhile, on standard operating procedures for private healthcare facilities in facing Covid-19, Noor Hisham said all positive cases detected by the private sector are to be referred to MOH.

However, according to him, the time might come where the private sector too would have to start treating positive patients.

"Maybe it would reach a point where all public hospital and intensive care units are full.

"Then, the private healthcare facilities would have to treat the patients at their ICUs.

"For now, all positive cases are referred to MOH," he said.

Noor Hisham said private healthcare workers who are also frontliners in facing Covid-19, are advised to practice preventive measures such as wearing face masks, hands cleanliness, and wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling patients.

To date, MOH has conducted two meetings with the private sector, where the latter had been advised on the importance to employ infection prevention, and to give their staff full training on how to deal with Covid-19.

SOPs for general practitioners and private clinics, he added. - Mkini