THE Health Ministry (MOH) will study the need to provide influenza vaccination to the public especially for those at risk, its minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said.

However, she said as the number of influenza cases in the country is under control, the vaccine would only be given to MOH front-line workers in the initial stage.

In addition, she said the public health facilities available nationwide should be able to accommodate more patients if there is a surge in the number of cases in the short term.

“Based on MOH data, for the 30th epidemiological week this year, the consultation rate for influenza-like illness (ILI) at health clinics is 6.3%, a drop from 6.4% in the previous week.

“The hospital admission rate is 7.1%, also a slight decrease. There are cases but as of last week the number has dropped… the situation is under control,” she said after officiating the Manir Health Clinic in Kuala Terengganu, today.

In another development, Zaliha said Dungun Hospital, which was earlier classified as a sick project, is already 99% complete and is expected to be operational next year.

She said the Dungun Hospital construction project, which started in February 2016 after it was approved in the 4th Rolling Plan under the 10th Malaysia Plan, at a cost of RM125 million, should have been completed in March 2022.

However, following the Movement-Control Order enforced during the pandemic and problems with contractors, the project was abandoned. It took some time for work to resume.

When completed, Dungun Hospital will become the third specialist hospital in Terengganu after Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital and Kemaman Hospital.

The 110-bed hospital offers 10 speciality services including emergency, medicine, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, anaesthesiology, orthopaedics, psychiatry, dentistry and pathology. – Bernama, August 6, 2023.