LETTER | Open letter to the govt: Stop threatening healthcare workers

LETTER | It has been nearly two weeks since I spoke about the collapsing healthcare system. It is already too late and yet too little is being done. Dear prime minister, paying a visit merely causes more cover ups by the hospital directors themselves. These videos (and many others on social media) should be proof enough that the healthcare system has already collapsed.

Attached are videos taken this past week in two major hospitals in the Klang Valley, one of which has been converted to a full Covid-19 hospital. Isolation cubicles meant for one are being used for three patients; Covid-19 positive patients on oxygen supplementation are sitting up when they should be lying down. Patients are even lying on the floor due to the lack of beds.

There is barely any room to push a bed through the sea of patients. I shudder to think of what might happen if a fire were to break out there. There are on average 100+ patients in the emergency department waiting to be admitted and some are stranded there waiting five to six days for admission to the wards.

The lack of an AV system requires the use of a hailer to call out patients names when admission to the ward is scheduled. The video depicting a staff member pushing an oxygen tank shows the state of oxygen supply in the hospital and the difficulty in getting one single tank to the emergency department.

1. Channel resources to the Klang Valley and spend emergency funds

More staff and equipment need to be sent to the Klang Valley where it is hit the hardest. Malacca, Negeri Sembilan and Johor should also not be neglected before it becomes worse than the Klang Valley. Ventilators, oxygen concentrators and other equipment are lacking and ordinary Malaysians have been fundraising to purchase these items - surely emergency funds can be mobilised for this purpose.

2. Protect the healthcare staff

In many tertiary hospitals - staff are forced to work double shifts, stretching them to the limit. It is a matter of time before mental breakdowns, suicidal attempts start happening within the four walls of the hospital.

Mobilise staff from other low-hit states in large numbers; final year nursing students, final year medical students can be roped in to help with basic clinical work. Close down services in other states to mobilise staff if you have to - not wait for Covid-19 to hit it before having a meeting to decide.

3. Mass testing

This suggestion has been made by many - test, test and test! The RTK test’s speed makes up for what it lacks in accuracy. We need to test and identify those who are infected to effectively reduce the spread. Some countries are even doing weekly testing for students/workers in areas of high human contact.

4. Make use of the Emergency Ordinance

Decant both Covid-19 patients and non-Covid-19 patients to private hospitals. The conversion of hospitals to full Covid-19 centres have severely impaired the care of non-Covid-19 related patients such as those suffering from cancer.

Enough discussion and plans - act now before more lives are lost. It is not enough to convert hospitals to full-Covid-19 facilities and redirect new patients - send existing patients out to make room for new ones. Use the army for transport of patients and for the setting up of more field hospitals.

Designate hotels as free quarantine facilities for healthcare workers, especially those with young children and elderly parents at home. What is the point of the Emergency Ordinance if the only difference is that Parliament is not open?

5. Set good examples

Leaders and politicians of the country that have gallivanted everywhere, attending events are the cause of the people’s attitude towards our ever changing SOPs and MCOs. Stop blaming the rakyat when your own cabinet is unable to set a good example.

A proper restriction of movement is necessary in hard-hit areas to stop the spread of the virus - stop changing SOPs and issuing countless Miti letters to those who do not deserve them.

The pandemic is indeed an acid test of a system that has been held together by flimsy supports that is finally collapsing in the storm; cut and paste facilities that are crumbling below pressure. Please do not waste time trying to cover up when the prime minister visits or send another threatening circular. Should investigations to penalise staff be carried out - more videos will be released. This is the cry of healthcare workers who have been working tirelessly for over a year and they will not be silenced anymore.

Malaysia is suffering. Please do something.

I end with the words of Dr Amar-Singh: 

“The government of the day cannot dictate to us that they know best and impose their version of actions, without full transparency and external oversight. We need all elected representatives, government or opposition, we need all healthcare professionals, government, private, universities or retired, we need the many people with ideas from diverse occupations and backgrounds, from all over the nation, to all provide ideas and support to end this travesty.”

* The writer is using a pseudonym.

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