PETALING JAYA: Private hospitals are working out a plan with the Health Ministry to decant more non-Covid-19 patients to private healthcare centres so that public hospitals can take in thousands more of Covid-19 patients, says the Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia.

       Its president Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh (pic) said this is because the designated Covid-19 ICU beds in private hospitals being at almost full capacity with Category 5 patients.

       In a statement issued on July 19, Dr Kuljit also stated that all private hospital staff are well protected as they are vaccinated and the very small number of those infected only had mild symptoms and recovered fully.

       “Private hospitals will continue to support the government in various efforts of managing human resources and space to treat Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 patients.

       “As for July 19, almost 100% of the designated Covid-19 ICU beds in private hospitals are taken up by Covid-19 Category 5 patients.

       “We are in further discussion with the Health Ministry to decant emergency cases and in-patients in government hospitals to private centres so that more public hospitals can be converted into Covid-19 hospitals to accommodate a few more thousand patients," he said.

       He said the association would facilitate sharing of resources both in human resource and movable infrastructure like medical equipment or devices if required for treating Covid-19 and to enhance vaccination at the mega vaccine centres in the next few weeks.

       “The CEOs of private hospitals in Klang Valley will be in direct discussion with the Health Ministry to have the maximum support rendered to the patients in the country,” said Dr Kuljit.

       He further pointed out that all frontliners in private hospitals have been receiving their vaccinations since February and most have completed their doses.

       “All private health care workers in private hospitals inclusive of frontliners such as doctors and nurses have been well protected from the Covid-19 infection.

       The vaccination commenced in the month of February for private health care workers and most had completed their vaccination by May 2021.