KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 — Medical patients assessed with low chances of recovery will no longer be admitted to intensive care units (ICU) in Kedah, said state Health and Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Dr Mohd Hayati Othman.
He told Berita Harian the difficult decision needed to be made despite remaining spaces in the state’s ICUs in order to maximise the survivability rate of patients that will occupy the beds.
“I am conflicted about whether to disclose this situation or not, but it must be made known that in some cases, the doctors must choose if a patient should be sent to the ICU; if the patient is too chronic or has no hope, we will not admit him into the ICU,” he was quoted as saying.
“This includes patients who are not Covid-19 cases, the doctor will make a careful assessment for some cases; however, we will treat all patients to the best of our ability until they recover and are stable.”
Kedah is among states facing severe outbreaks of Covid-19, with another 417 new cases added today.
The state’s Covid-19 situation has already forced the National Security Council to impose an enhanced movement control order (EMCO) across the entire district of Kota Setar.
The resurgent third wave of Covid-19 infections has again pushed the country’s healthcare system to breaking point, with Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah disclosing last week that Malaysia’s ICU capacity has nearly been exhausted.
Dr Noor Hisham previously said he did not wish to see the country deteriorate to the point where doctors must decide which patient would live and which must be left to die.
Earlier today, he also reported another 59 deaths from Covid-19 — Malaysia’s highest in the single day — along with another 6,806 new cases.
