Tiong makes official request for more medical staff, equipment
KUCHING: An official request has been made to the office of the Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba for an urgent increase of medical staff and equipment to address the shortages in Bintulu, said Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.
“This district is facing an acute shortage of specialists, medical officers, and nurses at this critical time. At the same time, our hospital is also in need of various medical equipment and upgrades to combat the Covid-19 outbreaks.
“The sudden spike in cases has placed a heavy demand on our medical system,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Tiong pointed out that as the number of confirmed cases in Bintulu continues to increase, medical personnel and equipment have become overwhelmed.
“Therefore, the quantity of frontline personnel and keeping medical equipment up to the demand is critical to improve the pandemic situation.
“I urge the Ministry of Health to take this issue seriously and exercise greater precaution by arranging for more personnel on standby to support the hospital. This must be done to ensure the people can receive the best care and treatment possible and protect the health and safety of Bintulu,” he said.
Tiong noted that in the past year, the pandemic had raged across the country and that Bintulu Hospital took in not only patients from the district but from the neighbouring districts as well.
“The relevant departments need to take this into consideration and manage the hospital’s equipment accordingly. Proper resource management is extremely important to avoid a collapse of the medical system in Bintulu,” he stressed.
At the same time, he also urged the public to give their best cooperation by complying with the Covid-19 prevention Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).
“Stay at home as much as possible, and reduce outings. Most importantly, during this period of combating the coronavirus, refrain from spreading fake news especially to those who have unfortunately been diagnosed with Covid-19 and do not malign them with personal attacks,” he said.