'Spend RM300m on vaccination, not negative pressure ambulances'

Pakatan Harapan's healthcare committee has questioned the government's decision to open tenders to buy 500 negative pressure ambulances.

The committee said the ambulances would reportedly cost RM300 million, money which they believe should be spent on ramping up vaccination efforts instead.

"This is clear wastage which does not at all help solve the Covid-19 crisis," they said in a joint statement.

Plans to purchase the negative pressure ambulances - which are also fitted with high-efficiency particulate air (Hepa) filters and UV lights - were revealed by Health Minister Dr Adham Baba on Saturday.

A Bernama report cited Adham as saying that the ambulances were important for locations with a high number of Covid-19 cases but did not specify how much these ambulances would cost.

A negative pressure ambulance has a special low air pressure chamber to transport patients. The low air pressure means air can only get into the chamber but not out.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said this setup helped protect healthcare workers and the public from infection.

The Harapan healthcare committee, however, questioned whether there was enough data in Malaysia to justify purchasing these special ambulances.

"How many frontliners who are transporting Covid-19 patients or deceased patients have been infected or have contributed to new clusters in the country?" they asked.

They also questioned whether the purchase would be via open tender, which companies would be involved, and why the Health Ministry was in such a rush to purchase the ambulances.

The committee also said that the RM300 million could instead be spent on increasing the number of vaccination centres, including roping in private clinics, and expanding mobile vaccination for rural and interior peoples, and drive-thru vaccination for urban folk.

The statement was jointly signed by former health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad, former deputy health minister Dr Lee Boon Chye, and lawmakers Ong Kian Ming (DAP-Bangi), Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli (Amanah-Lumut), Dr Kelvin Yii (DAP-Bandar Kuching), Sim Tze Tzin (PKR-Bayan Baru), Alice Lau (DAP-Lanang).

It was also signed by health excos Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud (Selangor), Dr Norlela Ariffin (Penang), and Veerapan Supramaniam (Negeri Sembilan), as well as Amanah's Dr Niekmah Adam and PKR's Dr Zaliha Mustafa. - Mkini

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