KUALA LUMPUR: The government has been urged to address urgently the acute shortage of face masks for healthcare personnel.
The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) said the dire shortage of the medical mask for healthcare personnel currently amounted to an emergency.
MMA president Dr N. Ganabaskaran said the issue of shortage of face masks had been highlighted since the outbreak in early February.
“It has made national news and every citizen is aware of this. It is disappointing to even have to go to the press to highlight this,” he said in a statement.
He said that healthcare workers in the private sector be it general practitioners, specialists, dental surgeons, nurses, pharmacists, radiographers, high-risk patients undergoing hemodialysis were all exposed to possible infection due to inaction by the relevant ministries in addressing this issue.
Dr Ganabaskaran said Personal Protection Equipment ( PPE ) like face masks were a basic necessity when seeing patients who may carry Covid-10 infectious disease.
“The Ministry of Health which is already overwhelmed is also helping in sourcing this item - a job that should be top priority now and handled by the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs ministry given its urgency.
“What has this ministry been doing to address this issue ?”
Dr Ganabaskaran revealed that some doctors have gone to the extent of recycling their masks while seeing patients and some had chosen to close their clinics because there are no face masks and hand sanitisers to protect themselves and their patients.
It is a requirement to provide hand rubs and face masks when seeing patients under investigation and it is indeed frustrating and unsafe not to have such items, he said.
"MMA wishes to reiterate that combating Covid-19 is a collective responsibility and not solely the responsibility of our health ministry.
“We also hope NADMA (National Disaster Management Agency), which is empowered to handle national crises and the relevant ministries will step up to resolve this shortage soonest possible.
“Failure to address this issue will result in higher risk of infections among patients and healthcare workers at healthcare facilities where people should feel safe,” he said.