Change behaviour, not build more hospitals – Dr Jemilah

PUTRAJAYA: Building more hospitals is not going to solve the Covid-19 problem if the public do not change their behaviour, said the Prime Minister's Special Advisor on Public Health, Tan Sri Dr Jemilah Mahmood.

She said in dealing with the pandemic, it would start with the public practising Covid19 preventive measures and influencing those around them.

"We've got to change our behaviours. We really got to help, think about the frontline workers who are struggling, overworked and depressed," she said yesterday in a webinar session titled Business in the Era of Covid-19: Business Scenario Resetting with Covid-19.

Moderated by Environment and Water Ministry secretarygeneral Datuk Seri Dr Zaini

Ujang, the session also featured PEMANDU Associates Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Seri Idris Jala.

Dr Jemilah also expressed her biggest concern that less developed nations had limited access to Covid-19 vaccines as rich countries bought more than they needed.

"Where are we going to even get our vaccines if everything has been monopolised by the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union? Where's the chance for the less developed world to get this?

"Almost like an apartheid, that you know, only people who have a vaccine certificate can travel and do business when the developing world does not have the access," she said, adding that the situation called for a resetting in fundamental values and humanity.