KUCHING, Dec 14: The Ministry of Health (MOH) has cleared 98 per cent of 57,355 procedures that were backlogged in public hospitals due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Its director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham noted that the percentage recorded were as of 30th November 2022.
As such, the immediate consequences of COVID-19 is the backlog of elective surgical cases in which, as of September 2021, there are 57,355 elective backlog cases in MOH hospitals, of which 93.8% are surgical based.
“Surgical cases from certain disciplines such as Cardiothoracic Surgery and Paediatric Surgery are still facing long waiting period due to the limited number of surgeons and healthcare workers.
“For Paediatric Surgery, most cases on the waiting list for Paediatric Surgery are hypospadias cases,” he said this in his speech at the Academy for Silent Mentor (AFSM) Tripartite Conference on Healthcare Challenges in the 21st Century at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching here, today.
He pointed out the improved vaccination coverage of the population, the COVID-19 admission rate began to reduce. This resulted in the reopening of more Operation Theatres (OTs) and more hospital beds being made available for surgical patients.
Dr Noor Hisham added the extended hours of OT, weekend OT and mass surgery initiatives have been implemented to reduce the backlog cases.
“This includes collaboration with University Hospitals, Armed Forces Hospitals, Private Hospitals, and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) such as the Rotary Club.”
Among other initiatives taken this year to reduce elective backlog cases are the Mass Urology Surgery initiative in Hospital Selayang, Mass Catarct Surgery initiatives in Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II, Hospital Tawau, and Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan, Mass Surgical Carnival and Cleft Surgery Initiative Hospital Tawau, Partnership with IHH Healthcare Hospitals in providing Gamma Knife Stereotactic Radiosurgery and Radiotherapy to MOH patients and Miracle Baby Programme. – TVS
