509 GPs allowed to issue home surveillance orders to Covid patients

A total of 509 private general medical practitioners (GPs) have been given authorisation letters to issue home surveillance and observation (HSO) orders to Covid-19 patients.

Health Minister Dr Adham Baba said the HSO would be issued to positive patients who would then be treated at a Covid-19 quarantine and low-risk treatment centre (PKRC) managed by a private medical centre or at their respective homes.

“A total of 509 GPs have been given authorisation letters to issue HSO bracelets for patients who test positive to be treated at the PKRC or sent home and monitored,” he said at a press conference on the health ministry’s strategies to manage the Covid-19 pandemic in the Klang Valley today.

He said the ministry receives applications from time to time in accordance with the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342).

“Cooperation between GPs and private medical centres has increased in assisting the health ministry,” he added.

Adham also said the health ministry was working with private medical practitioners and employers to set up a Covid-19 assessment centre and PKRC.

In another development, Adham said a total of 2,341 fully vaccinated healthcare personnel had been infected but have had no severe symptoms.

“A total of 2,341 healthcare personnel became infected after being vaccinated, of which 778 people were in Category One, 1,559 in Category Two, two people in Category Three and Four respectively, and none in Category Five.

“The advantage of vaccines is that these individuals do not reach Category Five, and severity and mortality is reduced. Vaccines protect healthcare personnel from severe infection,” he said.

He said a total of 9,392 healthcare workers had been infected with Covid-19 since the pandemic hit the country, involving 3,411 nurses and 1,229 medical officers.

Meanwhile, health ministry secretary-general Mohd Shafiq Abdullah said the issue of funding applications from the private sector did not arise as the funds provided by the finance ministry were sufficient for the management of Covid-19.

A total of RM1 billion has been spent to meet current needs, with the health ministry holding discussions with the finance ministry for an additional RM1 billion as part of preparations until this December, in the event that the number of cases continues to rise.