After more than two weeks into the latest MCO, 4,094 new Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday bringing the active case count to 43,192, well above the 23,000 maximum number the government says can be handled at public hospitals and low-risk centres.

One Putrajaya-based frontliner who wished to remain anonymous told FMT that doctors were being overstretched by the constant flow of new patients.

“There is a lack of manpower, something needs to be done to mobilise doctors and help where it’s needed. Perhaps there need to be regular audits, especially in busy areas and red zones, to consistently monitor if they are able to cope,” the frontliner said.

Another problem yet to be solved is the shortage of protective equipment. The government has tried to provide PPEs “but we are slowly beginning to run low”, the frontliner said. “The thought of having to buy our own equipment at times is tedious and doesn’t help our cause.”

Dr Vikkineshwaran Siva Subramaniam, chairman of Malaysian Medics International, said these complaints are common, as various surveys have shown frontliners have been placed under immense and unprecedented pressure, and said the current situation is indicative of a health system that is slow to adapt.

He said that burnout due to being overworked can compromise the level of care a doctor is able to deliver, and said action needs to be taken to ensure their well-being is cared for.

“It is disheartening that contract doctors and health workers are still being culled despite various evidence showing the health system is understaffed and overworked,” he said.

“Investing in healthcare is always a good idea. Even after the pandemic is over, its impact and the backlog of cases will demand a higher health workforce.”

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST DATA ON THE COVID-19 SITUATION IN MALAYSIA