Najib calls for compulsory use of pulse oximeters

 

A pulse oximeter clipped on a patient’s fingertip will show the pulse rate and the blood oxygen saturation level. (AP pic)

PETALING JAYA: The use of pulse oximeters should be made compulsory to prevent the deaths of Covid-19 patients outside hospitals, former prime minister Najib Razak suggested today.

He welcomed the government’s announcement today that Covid-19 care kits would be provided to B40 low-income families to protect them from the virus.

“Finally, there is a simple thing like this that can save many lives, reducing the number of deaths outside the hospital,” he said referring to the high number of coronavirus patients who have been reported as being brought in dead.

However, Najib lamented that the provision of the kits came too late for the thousands who had died and were classified as BID (brought in dead).

He said many of the deaths could have resulted from the patients suffering from oxygen deficiency in a condition known as “happy hypoxia”, which he called a silent killer.

“They do not show any symptoms of breathing difficulty despite having low oxygen levels in the bloodstream. They still look calm and cheerful as ever, although their oxygen levels are low or falling.

Najib said the use of the pulse oximeter (a gauge usually clipped on the fingertip, which measures the pulse and blood oxygen level) would help prevent BID cases.

Medical experts have advised that Covid-19 patients in home quarantine should keep track of their blood oxygen level and seek medical treatment if the oxygen level drops below 95%.

The government’s Covid-19 care kit includes a pulse oximeter as well as four reusable face mask packs, four Covid-19 self-test kits, a thermometer and a user guide leaflet.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the provision of the kits would cost the government RM471 million. - FMT