Our government’s move to has rapidly relax the nationwide movement control order (MCO) has invited cautionary advice from Energesse, an international healthcare solutions provider headquartered in Australia.
Chief executive officer and founder Dr Avnesh Ratnanesan cautions that a second wave of Covid-19 may happen. “The second wave might be more challenging and disruptive to business and social patterns with the easing of the nationwide MCO,” he said.
Dr Avnesh says that an overly lax approach would also weigh heavily on healthcare workers and the health system. He has been providing tools and advice to the Australian health services on managing the current pandemic more effectively.
He elaborated that with the government measures to allow a return to work from May 4, the extent of alleviation at which this is being done is too quick as other countries are now struggling with a second wave due to government complacency in assuming that they had the first wave well contained.
“Some companies have been able to maintain productivity while working from home and this should continue to be encouraged.
Dr Avnesh is suggesting that the Malaysian government use more data, modelling and even AI-based algorithms to inform and guide their decision-making, rather than subjective opinions from individuals that may not fully comprehend the complexities of the short-term and long-term public health and economic variables involved.
“We developed a digital tool called the PMme (Pandemic Management for me). The PMme is a customised audit and decision-support tool for healthcare CEOs and directors in hospitals and health services,”
He also added that the government should balance the immediate short-term intervention of the MCO and the medium-term impacts emerging from a quarantine period of over eight weeks.
Dr Avnesh also recommended the introduction of a ‘Health Hour’ for individuals to be encouraged to leave their home for one hour a day and within a one-kilometre radius from their home to jog or play sport within the prescribed practice of social distancing.
“This serves as a policy enhancement to boost the collective health mindset and support immunity building,” he said.
News Credit: The Malay Mail
