Malaysia in Covid-19 crisis? — Musa Mohd Nordin

‘We are plagued with the Double Whammy. MCO + EO. A poorly managed Pandemic in bed with a poorly managed Politics. Pandemic + Politics. It cannot get any more worse! Yesterday Malaysia was in panic mode! Triggered by the humongous Covid-19 numbers Chill out Malaysia! It is NOT REAL TIME case numbers. These are just BACKLOG cases only just being reported

‘Contact Tracing is virtually at a STANDSTILL. An officer at a PKD had 600 contacts to trace and yesterday was slapped with another 700 to trace These are all the manifestations of a failure of the system. There is a breakdown in the FTTIS work flow! How much longer can we tolerate these failings and lackluster performance?

‘It has been SYSTEMS GO in Selangor over and above the efforts of JKNS. They are our buddies in Selangor to rid Covid-19. Please share this widely with your friends in Selangor.

‘STFO is the Operations arm of STFC [Selangor Task Force on Covid-19] led by Public Health Physician, Prof Farhan [Asst Prof Dr Mohammad Farhan bin Rusli (Consultant Public Health Physician, International Islamic Universiti Malaysia)] to bust Covid-19. It aims TO FLATTEN THE CURVE IN THE COMMUNITY WITHIN 4 WEEKS. The MCO + EO has interrupted STFO operations. With JKNS they are resuming with vigor with the blessings of the State Government.

STFO Blueprint of Action

1. ALL +ve or household that is +ve to register under SELangkah (so that state govt can provide home kits
2. ALL high risk and household with HIGH risk persons, to pre register SELangkah: (a) for B40, we provide voucher (FREE testing) to go to nearest Selcare clinic panel (static) or mass screening (mobile); (b) for non-B40, encourage them to do testing (we provide list of participating Selcare panel clinic)
3. Community mass screening (mobile) to HIGH RISK RANK areas (from ACURA) to HIGH RISK individuals OR HOUSEHOLDS with HIGH RISK individuals (from pre-register SELangkah) e.g. (a) Old folks home (b) Hemodialysis centers (c) Nursing homes for the elderly 
4. Mass screening (mobile) to HIGH RISK super spreaders e.g. (a) communities living in crowded spaces (b) families in PPR flats (c) migrants (d) refugees. Data obtained from community leaders, refugee/migrant centric NGOs, UNHCR.
5. State / Selgate to buy RTK-Ag in bulk. To provide at minimal cost to Selcare Clinic panel. Participating Selcare Clinic panel to provide at standard low cost price. At least 2 participating Selcare panel per district.
6. To encourage ADUN to subsidise the cost and liase with respective participating Selcare clinic panels
7. To increase  Health Education Advocacy to do testing and isolate: (a) SYMPTOMATIC individuals with +ve close contacts must ASAP do testing & treatment (if needed) at nearest KKM's facility. Call 999 if severe symptoms (b) ASYMPTOMATIC individuals with +ve close contacts, encourage to do testing at nearest participating Selcare Clinic panel (c) SYMPTOMATIC inviduals with NO +ve close contacts, must do testing at nearest KKM's facility (or participating Selcare clinic - if KKM reject testing)
8. Activate GEOFENCING via SELangkah AND communicate SELamat warning system
9. Home Kits provided by STFO: Face Masks, Hand sanitiser, Information pamphlet,  Foodpack / vouchers -- for B40, unemployed, does day jobs,  SpO2 monitors include training and monitoring (for high risk patients only)

Read here (Malay Mail, Jan 31, 2021)