Health Ministry to send report to PAC over Covid-19 management

PUTRAJAYA: A report will be submitted to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) over its findings on the management of the Covid-19 pandemic, says the Health Ministry, while giving its assurance that it will continue to fully cooperate.

Its minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said they had given full cooperation and provided information required by the PAC.

“We are in the midst of preparing our response. If there is any more information that the committee requires, we will cooperate,” she said when met after the ministry’s Integrity Day yesterday.

Also present were Deputy Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauneh and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission deputy chief commissioner Datuk Seri Ahmad Khusairi Yahaya.

Dr Zaliha, however, did not elaborate on the report.

On Tuesday, PAC chairman Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said the ministry was expected to present its reply to the committee’s recommendations next month.

On Oct 30, the PAC tabled a report in Parliament revealing the procurement of unusable ventilators via WhatsApp, expiry of vaccines and over- purchase of personal protective equipment.

The report stated that 104 out of the 136 ventilators supplied by Pharmaniaga Logistics Sdn Bhd in May 2020, procured for Covid-19 patients through WhatsApp at a cost of RM24.1mil, ended up being unusable.

Among the recommendations of the bipartisan committee was that the ministry re-examine the warranty status of the 136 ventilators and take action against those responsible.

On another matter, Dr Zaliha said the ministry has managed to repair an additional 75 dilapidated clinics using the RM111mil allocated for the purpose.

“The allocation was meant to repair 436 of such clinics but due to efficient spending and good governance, we could repair more using the same budget,” she said.

On dispatching medical volunteers to Gaza, Dr Zaliha said applications had been opened for those who want to volunteer.

She said those who signed up would undergo mental and physical training to prepare them to be in a conflict situation.

On Monday, the ministry said it was prepared to send medical volunteers to the Gaza Strip once it is allowed.