KUALA LUMPUR - The Health Ministry has been advised to implement five strategic measures to curb the surge in Covid-19 cases in the country, following a record-high of 29,129 cases reported on December 11, 2023.
This concerning pattern is observed both nationally and internationally.
In a joint statement issued earlier today, former Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin and former Deputy Minister of Trade, International and Industry (Miti), Ong Kian Ming, stressed the importance of the first step, which involves introducing and reinforcing the standard operating procedure (SOP) TRIIS – Test, Report, Isolate, and Seek help/treatment in public.
The duo stressed the significance of collective preventive measures, urging all stakeholders to collaborate while the public sector readies itself for a potential new wave of Covid-19 infections.
"Secondly, the Ministry must advocate for booster dosage injections, particularly for high-risk and vulnerable populations, including the elderly and those with weakened immune systems.
"The Health Ministry should collaborate with the Finance Ministry to facilitate a transparent procurement process for the latest variants of booster vaccines available in the market.
"Simultaneously, the Health Ministry should reactivate the immunization ecosystem nationwide through private clinics, hospitals, and government facilities," they recommended.
Khairy and Kian Ming further suggested that the Health Ministry should consider reintroducing the use of the MySejahtera application for reporting and monitoring Covid-19 patients.
Additionally, the ministry should deploy its data analysis team, or collaborate with other data analysis entities, to analyse new Covid-19 data.
"This is to identify the pattern of epidemic spread based on location, workplace, and other patient demographic data.
"Researchers can also access public Covid-19 data to aid in the task of data analysis," explained Khairy and Kian Ming.
As the fourth measure, they urged the Ministry of Health to work closely with Miti and the Human Resources Ministry to investigate the spread of infections among factory workers and assess their living conditions.
Stringent action should be taken against companies that subject their foreign workers to poor living conditions, failing to comply with international labor standards.
Finally, the duo recommended that the Health Ministry consider providing daily data on Covid-19 case deaths.
This move would raise public awareness of the threat posed by novel virus strains and encourage people, especially those at high risk, to receive their recommended booster doses.
"While this surge in Covid-19 cases is anticipated to be temporary, drawing on past pandemic experiences, we must remain vigilant and take precautions to safeguard all communities within our country collectively," they added. - AWANI