THE Malacca State Health Department is targeting to resolve about 55% of the total outstanding surgeries, which have reached the thousands due to the spread of Covid-19, by the end of the year.

State Health director Dr Rusdi Abd Rahman said the number of outstanding surgeries was recorded from January 2021 to early this year.

“Heath director-general (Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah) has given the mandate to all state health directors to focus on these outstanding cases so they can be resolved as much as possible this year. Malacca has given our commitment (to do so),” he said after the opening ceremony of the Wellness on Wheels programme, officiated by the state Health and Anti-Drug Committee chairman, Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh.

Dr Rusdi said some 20 to 25% of the cases will be handed over to private hospitals in the state, while 30 to 35% of the cases will be settled at public hospitals in Malacca.

He added that one of the main challenges faced was the eight-hour limit on usage of operation theatres, which means that on average only eight one-hour surgeries can be conducted daily.

“As such, we have identified the facilities available and minor surgeries such as cataracts and ear surgery will be performed at the Alor Gajah Hospital or Jasin Hospital. Every Saturday, we will perform major surgeries by bringing in specialists from other districts or states,” he explained.

Dr Rusdi said the state received specialist assistance from Tampin Hospital, Sultanah Fatimah Specialist Hospital in Muar Johor, Kuala Lumpur Hospital and Serdang Hospital. – Bernama, June 4, 2022.