Former health director-general Dr Ismail Merican said Khairy should now ensure the vaccination programme comes under his ministry.
“It should be under the health ministry and all other ministries should listen to him to fight the pandemic,” he told FMT.
Ismail said Khairy needs help from all stakeholders from the public and private sector to address the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said his first order of business should be to hold “frank discussions” and make decisions based on the best ideas from the stakeholders.
“We are losing to the pandemic and Khairy needs to act fast,” he said.
Once a decision is made, he said, others should listen to him so the country can get back on its feet with the economy running again.
Former deputy health minister Dr Lee Boon Chye also welcomed the appointment, calling it “a good move”.
Lee said Khairy is aware of the problems inflicted by the pandemic and has the experience to handle it.
He said Khairy’s immediate priority is to ensure the National Covid-19 Vaccination Programme comes under the health ministry and not the science, technology and innovation ministry (Mosti).
The new Mosti minister is Dr Adham Baba, the former health minister.
Lee hoped that Khairy will look into requests to hire more health ministry staff.
“We are in for a long haul with Covid-19 and additional human resources are needed to do contact tracing, ensure SOPs are followed, and carry out treatment,” he told FMT.
He also hoped that Khairy will resolve the issue of contract doctors who went on strike on July 26 to demand a fair career path and the same benefits as medical officers in permanent positions.
Health expert Chan Chee Khoon said Khairy’s appointment is “one of the few bright spots in a recycled under-performing Cabinet”.
The epidemiologist and member of Citizens’ Health Initiative said Khairy should be allowed to lead the national pandemic response within the National Security Council (MKN) to curb the pandemic.
“Khairy’s creditable performance in leading the vaccine rollout also included initial steps to build the local manufacturing capacity for vaccines and other pandemic essentials,” he noted.
This, he said, should continue under the health minister’s portfolio with coordination from Mosti.
Health watchdog, Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy welcomed Khairy’s appointment, saying it came at a “make or break” time for public health.
Its CEO Azrul Mohd Khalib said the raging pandemic needed to be taken head-on with courage, decisive leadership and commitment.
He called on Khairy to minimise local Covid-19 transmissions and deaths and provide healthcare staff with proper support and funding.
The watchdog also said the ministry should not overlook non-Covid-related disease services, such as cancer, that had been disrupted during the pandemic, especially in Sabah.
Azrul hoped that all decisions and policies made by Khairy would be evidence-based and guided by reality.
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