KUCHING: While they persevere on the frontlines in the war against the Covid-19 pandemic, medical workers nationwide have one simple plea for Malaysians to heed — obey the movement control order.
They have been making significant sacrifices to battle this pandemic for the sake of the nation when the main sacrifice the public has to make is just to stay at home.
One such frontline warrior is Dr Ng Chun Sien, a medical officer in the Infectious Disease (ID) ward at the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH).
“Today is my 11th night staying in the ID ward. My roommate was allowed to rest for three days after staying 17 nights in the ID ward, so I’m alone today. I hope he has a good rest before the next fight,” reads his personal narrative posted on the ‘Rayuan Pengamal Perubatan’ (Medical Practitioners Appeal) Facebook page earlier this week.
He said that they had been preparing for the Covid-19 outbreak since early January, ensuring that the hospital was ready for the pandemic.
“At the initial phase, many parties were not convinced that it will be as bad as we see now,” he said.
He said that they had not gotten much support, but nevertheless they had done what they could and had their ID unit prepared prior to Wuhan’s lockdown.
“We ensured that there were enough negative pressure rooms, personal protective equipment (PPE), powered air-purifying respirators (PAPR), and dedicated staffers who have been volunteering since the end of January.
“The consultants had done their best to speak to the higher authority to ensure the whole of Sarawak was taking the right measures, including traveller bans,” explained Dr Ng.
However, he said, the number of cases incoming had been underestimated, as observed over the past two weeks.
He clarified that it was not that they were not prepared, but that there were not enough resources.
“On March 12, an hour after the Health director-general (Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah) announced the very first Covid-19 case from the tabligh, I told my loved ones: ‘I’m going there. Tomorrow will be the start of the disaster. I’m needed and I have been doing this for past month. I’m not coming home and I will be staying in the ward because I don’t want to pose any risk to you’,” he wrote.
He stressed that this war would not end any time soon.
“This is my duty; I do not regret doing this. But our resources are limited and our manpower is limited. All of us only have one life each and we have our families too,” said Dr Ng.
He thus appealed to all members of the public to stay at home; to pray, cook, eat, and spend quality time with their families at home.
“By doing this, you are helping us; you are helping Sarawak and helping Malaysia,” he said.
