KUALA LUMPUR, March 25 — The Ministry of Health (MoH) said today around 3,000 retired nurses have registered to come back to serve at the frontline and help to contain the Covid-19 outbreak.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said that the ministry is trying to establish the expertise of each nurse to be able to deploy them appropriately.
“Maybe some have a speciality in the [Intensive Care Unit], some the operation theatre; we will use their expertise to decide where to place them, either in a clinic or hospitals belonging to the Health Ministry,” he said.
Two days ago, Dr Noor Hisham had said that the ministry was planning on recalling its retired doctors and nurses to reinforce the current frontliners in the face of the Covid-19 outbreak.
He said they were also targeting 2,000 skilled healthcare professionals to assist as soon as possible and help increase manpower.
“We also now have 2,400 nurses, experienced nurses, but who are undergoing their post basic and we will use these nurses to help clinics and hospitals,” he said.
He said that some of the MoH staff had been working nonstop for more than three months and they needed to coordinate their manpower.
“Today we have post-basics who are undergoing training, 3400 people; we handed them over to hospitals and clinics where they can help,” he said.
