THERE is a need to ensure medical workers battling the Covid-19 outbreak are not fatigued, said a Universiti Malaya expert on the healthcare system.

Dr Khor Swee Kheng lauded the measures taken by Putrajaya to manage the disease, but reminded the government to ensure the healthcare system is sustainable, and this includes personnel are not worked to exhaustion.

“We need to be more mindful that the doctors and nurses on the frontline need to be taken care of, so that they don’t feel burnt out, pressured or emotionally strained, and that they do not get into any road accidents when they leave work,” said the UM health systems and policies senior fellow.

He emphasised the importance of managing resources, especially money, well, saying there has to be “a sense of proportion” when it comes to spending.

“What I mean to say is that there is a very limited budget for our healthcare system. We can’t draw money away from diabetes, pregnant women, childcare and emergency care just to fight this outbreak.”

Malaysia generally underspends on healthcare, with expenditure for the sector accounting for only 4.5% of gross domestic product.

In comparison, said Dr Khoo, the global average is 10%.

“For future outbreaks, what Malaysia can do specifically is invest in strengthening its health systems, specifically universal health coverage and primary healthcare.”

He said this will help boost population health, in turn, making people more resilient to outbreaks.

Under Budget 2020, the Health Ministry received an allocation of RM30.6 billion, an increase of 7% from the previous year’s RM28.7 billion.

Dr Khor, who worked on the frontline during the H1N1 outbreak, said Malaysia should accelerate the progress of its Sihat Bersama 2030 policy, which concentrates on three areas, namely public sector transformation, private sector regulatory reform and a sustainable financing system.

Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad had said the policy would focus on preventive and promotive healthcare, while continuing to enhance existing services.

Improving the system requires the combined efforts of several ministries, said Dr Khor, adding that “health is too important to be left to the health minister alone”.

In addition, he said, Malaysia can consider enlisting experts in science disciplines, such as data and computer scientists, to complement healthcare personnel’s efforts to manage outbreaks.

To date, the country has reported 22 Covid-19 cases. – February 17, 2020.