LETTER | How to prioritise childcare for frontliners

LETTER | We are writing as concerned doctors to propose practical solutions on childcare for children of frontliners.

The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development released a post-Movement Control Order (MCO) Prevention of Covid-19 Transmission Guideline for childcare centres. The guideline stated that the children of frontliners are "at higher risk of getting infected from their parents and the safest place for them is at home. However, if they are sent to childcare centres, they must be separated from other children.”

After dissenting statements from the Malaysian Paediatric Association and 250 paediatricians and the Academy of Medicine Malaysia, the Director-General of Health, Dr Noor Hisham clarified that the guideline was just to prioritise these children and affirmed that there is no discrimination.

We believe there are several challenges when providing childcare for frontline workers. One, childcare centres might refuse to care for the children of frontliners due to fear and inconvenience, leading to a domino effect. This could lead to parents who are frontliners to stay home to care for their children. This then reduces the number of our professionals in the field. The reduction of manpower might disrupt the work dynamics of our frontline operations and dampen their spirits.

Two, discrimination against the children of frontliners might also ignite and build stigma against frontliners in our country. We fear inappropriate panic and misconception against these individuals. This is unfortunate because, since the beginning of the MCO, Malaysians have been very appreciative of frontliners for their sacrifices. We witnessed heart-warming initiatives such as online appreciation, fast track queues at supermarkets, and producing personal protective equipment (PPE) from homes.

There is an urgent need for our government leaders to address the matter and give reassurance to these frontliners. Childcare centre operators and frontliner parents should be included at the discussion table. Another important stakeholder is the community, for instance, neighbours or relatives living nearby who are trustworthy and willing to help these frontliners.

Equality and justice are important. The children of frontliners and their families should be treated fairly, without discrimination and stigma. Frontliners are one of the most affected populations during this Covid-19 crisis, being physically and mentally vulnerable. We must care for them.

Thus, we would like to offer several suggestions. One, decisions must be inclusive. Frontliner parents should not be forced to stay at home because childcare centres refuse to take in their children. At any childcare centre, children of frontliners should not be separated from their peers, where possible. We welcome the idea of creating new childcare facilities specific for government hospitals as this will be useful for frontline health professionals. In all cases, childcare centres must adhere to preventive measures such as social distancing, wearing face masks, and regular handwashing.

Two, the execution of standard operating procedures (SOPs) must be done carefully. Childcare centre operators need to understand the importance of complying with the SOP and guidelines in their daily operations. References should be made available for all operators in a checklist format. Training should be conducted with childcare centre staff. To ensure compliance, the Department of Social Welfare should perform checks.

Three, we can adopt the 'social bubble' concept at childcare centres. Instead of separating children by their parents’ occupation, childcare centres can group the children into a few ‘social bubbles’. Children should only be allowed to interact in their specific ‘bubbles’ where they are exposed to the same peers to limit exposure. This method will limit virus transmission and improve the social well-being of these children.

There must be a more delicate and rounded approach on the subject moving forward. Frontliners are our nation's heroes who have stayed at work for us during this health crisis. We must ensure their children are properly cared for.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.