Abstract
This study aimed to highlight the COVID-19 response by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Government of Malaysia in order to share Malaysia’s lessons and to improve future pandemic preparedness. The team conducted a rapid review using publicly available information from MOH, PubMed, and World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Research on Coronavirus Disease Database to compile Malaysia’s responses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Measures taken between 31 December 2019 and 3 June 2020 were classified into domains as well as the pillars described in the WHO COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (WHO SPRP). Malaysia’s response incorporated all pillars in the WHO SPRP and consisted of five domains, (i) whole-of-government, (ii) cordon sanitaire/lockdown, (iii) equity of access to services and supports, (iv) quarantine and isolation systems, and (v) legislation and enforcement. Some crucial measures taken were activation of a centralised multi-ministerial coordination council where MOH acted as an advisor, with collaboration from non-government organisations and private sectors which enabled an effective targeted screening approach, provision of subsidised COVID-19 treatment and screening, isolation or quarantine of all confirmed cases, close contacts and persons under investigation, with all strategies applied irrespective of citizenship. This was provided for by way of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988. A combination of these measures enabled the nation to contain the COVID-19 outbreak by the end of June 2020.
Highlights
In December 2019, a cluster of respiratory disease cases of an unknown cause was detected in Wuhan, Hubei Province, which was subsequently attributed to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) [1]
World Health Organisation (WHO) released the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (WHO SPRP) in early February 2020, focusing on eight pillars encompassing public health areas central to preparedness and response activities, with the ninth pillar added in May
To improve the country’s future preparedness and response for experiential learning [12] as well as to share lessons learnt with the world, this study aimed to review the COVID-19 pandemic response by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Government of Malaysia
Summary
In December 2019, a cluster of respiratory disease cases of an unknown cause was detected in Wuhan, Hubei Province, which was subsequently attributed to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) [1]. The rapid spread of the disease globally prompted the World. Health Organisation (WHO) to declare the outbreak a pandemic on 12 March 2020. With a basic reproduction number (R0) between 2 and 3 [4], the SARS-CoV2 disease spread swiftly between people who were in close contact. Without any effective prevention and cure, countries around the world have attempted to break the chain of infection by employing public health measures. WHO released the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (WHO SPRP) in early February 2020, focusing on eight pillars encompassing public health areas central to preparedness and response activities, with the ninth pillar added in May
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