Fasting and fatigued, health staffers still soldiered on, says OSCAC chief
JOHOR BAHRU: Around Ramadan and Hari Raya Aidilfitri period, up to 850 people turned up per day at the Onestop Covid-19 Assessment Centre (OSCAC) in Pasir Gudang, but despite feeling tired and drained, the health staff showed full dedication, said the OSCAC chief Dr Rohayah Abdullah.
“They were truly exhausted and low on energy at the time. Imagine, at 3am there was already a line of cars waiting to enter OSCAC although we’d only open at 8am,” she said.
In the heat and with only tents for shade, she said some ended up slumped on the floor due to dehydration and heatstroke from wearing stuffy personal protective equipment (PPE).
“We advised them to break their fast so they could continue working,” said Dr Rohayah when met by Bernama at the OSCAC set up outside the Pasir Gudang City Council (MBPG) indoor
stadium.
Dr Rohayah, who is also state family medicine chief specialist, said some people verbally abused the staff for being told to do a
test or be admi ed to a hospital or Covid-19 Low-Risk Quarantine and Treatment Centre (PKRC).
“Some also got upset a er they were told to quarantine and wear a wristband because it prevented them from working or going out. But it didn’t break our spirit.”
Dr Rohayah said the OSCAC drive-thru started operating on Jan 31 this year with an average of 50 to 60 staffers.
Open daily, she said the number arriving for tests dropped to 350 during the Movement Control Order (MCO) 3.0 in June, but rose to 400 per day early this month.
Dr Rohaya stressed that the pandemic was not a hoax and that people must continue cooperating.
“Believe me – Covid-19 is real, so follow the standard operating procedure. If you are a close contact, get tested and if you are positive, go to the Covid-19 Assessment Centre (CAC) for a clinical evaluation. If you have symptoms, go to a clinic or CAC to do a test. But more importantly, register for vaccination,” she advised.