THE Health Ministry is mulling different strategies to manage the Covid-19 outbreak in red zones and other less severely impacted areas, said Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

As cases continue to rise, the health director general said patients needing ventilator support in ICUs were also increasing.

The ministry was also bogged down by logistics and human resource issues, resulting in delays in transporting patients to treatment centres.

“The experience we have gained in the last one year is that one size doesn’t fit all,” he said today. 

Given the high number of cases, Dr Noor Hisham said the ministry will now have to look back at which strategies worked and which didn’t.

“Now our strategy will change. It will be a more localised and targeted implementation,” he said.

He said the ministry may have to open up more Covid-19 wards and increase ICU beds among others.

He said treatment centres may not be able to accomodate all patients if the current trend continued.

“We are looking into how we can enhance our healthcare system and also to reduce the load,” he added.

Dr Noor Hisham said the upsurge in cases has also delayed public health intervention activities. 

Other strategies to manage the situation include border control, protecting vulnerable communities and green zones as well as public and community empowerment.

Dr Noor Hisham called on the public to follow health rules to curb infections. – January 6, 2020.