Page 102 - MALAYSIA HEALTH SECTOR RESPONSE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC: PERSPECTIVES FROM THE FIELD

Working together with the private healthcare sectors

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia, MOH Malaysia
has worked together with the private healthcare sector such as hospitals,
clinics, and laboratories, to manage COVID-19 cases. Such collaborations
continued during the third COVID-19 wave, especially with the increasing
number of COVID-19 cases.
To ensure the accessibility and continuity of healthcare services to the
public, MOH Malaysia has collaborated with the Association of Private
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Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) to outsource medical services to private
hospitals at a price lower than the normal market price, especially elective
surgeries or medical procedures for non-COVID-19 patients which had been
delayed due to the outbreak. As of 8th December 2020, this initiative was
allocated with RM 49 million for 3,764 surgeries/ procedures covering 19
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clinical disciplines, involving 23 MOH hospitals and 31 private hospitals .
The recent surge in COVID-19 cases has prompted individuals and employers
to obtain voluntary COVID-19 screening services from private healthcare
providers. Following that, MOH Malaysia has allowed private healthcare
facilities such as private medical clinics, private ambulatory care centres,
and private hospitals to be roped into the sample taking and processing of
those COVID-19 test samples at their own premises. Such an initiative was
encouraged, as it not only reduced the burden of MOH laboratories but also
expedited the COVID-19 case detection process. Apart from that, private
medical clinics were also allowed to provide on-site health screening booths
at other locations such as factories, public halls, or offices. As of 8th
December 2020, there were 553 private medical clinics, 11 ambulatory care
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centres, and 127 private hospitals involved in providing these services . On
the other hand, those premises without the required facilities to run the
test samples would have to send the samples to private laboratories
accredited by MOH Malaysia.

The private healthcare sector also provided medical resources such as
ventilators, personal protective equipment, and workforce support
comprising medical specialists, medical officers, assistant medical officers,
nurses, and allied health personnel, to the MOH Malaysia to aid the
management of the escalating number of COVID-19 cases.

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