COVID-19: 830 more nurses for government hospitals - Health Minister

KUALA LUMPUR, March 16 -- The Ministry of Health (MOH) will place 830 nurses in government hospitals in tackling the spread of COVID-19 in this country, says Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba.

He said their appointments on a contract basis was to beef up the manpower capacity at 135 government hospitals across the country in view of the spike in COVID-19 cases since last week.

"They, comprising nurses who have completed their studies at the ministry’s nursing colleges, will serve for two years," he said at the daily media conference on COVID-19, here, today.

Dr Adham said Malaysia had sufficient medical manpower including more than 60,000 doctors in the public and private sectors.

"We have enough (professional medical practitioners) in every state at this moment but what we need now is (more) infectious disease physicians," he added.

Besides that, he said the MOH had 926 medical ventilators including 152 non-invasive ventilators and 142 transport ventilators. 

"The ministry is ordering 800 more ventilators to meet the current need," he added.

On a related development, Dr Adham said of the attendees at the recent four-day Tabligh Assembly held at Sri  Petaling Jamek Mosque, more than 7,000 had come forward for COVID-19 screening.

However, he said, the MOH did not know yet the number of positive cases.

-- BERNAMA