THE Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) today urged the public to stop discrimination against healthcare workers by segregating the facilities, purportedly to prevent Covid-19 infection.

MMA president Dr N. Ganabaskaran said the association is taking a serious view on a condominium in Petaling Jaya where its management designates one of the three lifts for medical and essential services workers to protect other residents from getting infected with Covid-19.

“These discriminatory practices began when the condominium management had come to know that a healthcare worker tenant was diagnosed with Covid-19. 

“The healthcare worker who serves at a public healthcare facility was admitted to hospital after being diagnosed with Covid-19 at the end of March, however, the condominium’s management had only been made aware of this in mid-April when another tenant had informed them,” he said in statement today. 

He said the common areas are now regularly cleaned and the temperature of residents is taken upon entering the premises. 

“Recently, the condo’s management took it a notch further and decided to designate one of the three lifts for medical and essential services workers, the one lift without the resident pass access panel,” he said. 

Dr Ganabaskaran said the discriminatory practice demonstrates that a serious problem of misinformation exists among the public. 

“The segregation of residents for shared facilities such as lifts is unnecessary and smacks of discrimination against our healthcare workers. There is a sense that some people are going beyond what is actually needed in precautionary measures out of intense fear and this is one particular example,” he said. 

He said MMA urged the authorities to investigate such discriminatory practices against healthcare workers and take appropriate action. 

“The relevant ministries should also step up its efforts to address these issues of fear and misinformation among the public to avoid similar issues,” he said. 

He said the advice issued by the Health Ministry has been simple and consistent from the start to manage the Covid-19 situation in the country. 

“Avoid crowds, wash your hands frequently with soap, regularly sanitise your hands, regularly disinfect frequently touched surfaces, keep a social distance of one to two metres away from others when in public. During the MCO, avoid non-essential trips outdoors and stay at home. If all these preventive measures are taken, there should be no reason for fear,” he said.

He said MOH is doing an excellent job in managing the Covid-19 situation as can be seen in the progress made in reducing the number of infections and spread in the country. 

“The public should be listening to MOH, take their advice seriously and only accept verified, substantiated information from credible, reputable sources,” he said. – Bernama, April 26, 2020.