PETALING JAYA: As government hospitals in the Klang Valley are overstretched, private hospitals are gearing up to do more to alleviate the Covid-19 situation, says the Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia.

       Association president Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh (pic) said its members were keen to help but need to first work out a plan with the Health Ministry to transfer non-Covid-19 patients to private healthcare centres.

       He added that the CEOs of private hospitals in the Klang Valley would be in direct discussion with the ministry to render maximum support, despite designated Covid-19 intensive care units in private hospitals almost at full capacity with Category 5 patients.

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

       “We are in further discussion with the 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 in a statement yesterday.

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

       He also noted that all private hospital staff had been vaccinated, adding that only a very small number of them were infected but had mild symptoms and recovered fully.

       The vaccination exercise for private healthcare workers started in February and most completed their shots by May.