KUANTAN: The shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) has forced medical frontliners to dig deep into their creative minds to produce alternative protective gears.
Social media platforms have been inundated with images and videos shared by medical staff from hospitals and clinics across the country setting up their own makeshift "assembly line" to produce do-it-yourself (DIY) PPEs.
Various materials were used for this including garbage bags, cling wrap, poncho raincoat and A4 laminate paper.
Orthopaedic surgeon Dr Ahmad Mahyuddin Mohamed, who shared a video on preparing the DIY face shield on his Facebook page, said various quarters have started to come forward to look into ways to assist to supply the PPEs.
"It is heartwarming to see more people assisting to provide the PPEs including non-governmental organisations. NGOs are collecting funds to buy equipment to assist the frontliners.
"The Health Ministry managed to get 33 million units of PPE to be distributed at health facilities this week but due to the high usage, some of the places do not have sufficient stock until new supply arrives," he said.
Ahmad Mahyuddin, who described the shortage of PPEs as a global problem, shared a video on how to prepare protective face shield using foam, elastic band and A4-size laminate paper.
Meanwhile, the Kuantan district health office in a Facebook posting showed several staff busy preparing DIY face shields to be used during Covid-19 screening process.
"No matter who you are at the Kuantan district health office, at the moment all the staff are needed to help stop the spread of Covid-19. No matter how huge or small is our responsibility, we will do our best, we are one family," read the post.
Meanwhile, a doctor who declined to be named, said most staff used their lunch hours preparing PPEs to be worn by those attending to Covid-19 cases.
"There are limited materials and most shops are closed. So we are preparing PPEs with whatever equipment we have as long as we can protect ourselves. Medical staff are sharing and comparing information through WhatsApp so that we can ensure proper protection for us," he said.