THERE is no shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) for medical front-liners but the Health Ministry will continue to welcome donations and also efforts by some hospitals to make their own.

Health Director-General Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said there is no shortage but “just distribution issues” with PPE among MOH facilities.

“Many people are donating, we are also importing, and we thank industries, such as the fashion industry, which has been contributing by sewing gowns.

“Some hospitals are also making their own using innovative means.

“This is good as we don’t have to depend solely on overseas imports,” he told the daily press briefing on the pandemic.

Noor Hisham said hospitals can also save costs by making some of their own items, such as face shields, which is only RM2 per piece if self-made, but costs RM30 per piece if procured from a manufacturer.

He said the Health Ministry is also collaborating with private hospitals and had two meetings, on March 1 and 12, to talk about sharing equipment.

Private hospitals have borrowed around 70 ventilators from public hospitals, he said.

“The ministry also shares our guidelines with them. We have cooperation, and if private hospitals have good ideas, please bring it to us as well,” he said. – April 8, 2020.