The world of Tzu Chi June 2020 (Vol.123)

2020 • 06 20 eature M ost, if not all, nations have long been preoccupied with boosting economic growth and fortifying military reserves as benchmarksofdevelopment.Yet,areweinvesting enough resources in public health systems and their related infrastructure? This pandemic serves as a wake-up call to governments worldwide to take heed of the devastating consequences of inadequate support for healthcare establishments, as reflected in not only the escalating number of infected patients and the rising death toll, but also the resulting series of socioeconomical concerns that leave an impact no less calamitous than the destruction caused by warfare. At the 2015 TED conference in Vancouver, Canada, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates cautioned, “If anything kills over 10 million people in the next few decades, it’s most likely to be a highly infectious virus rather than a war. Not missiles, but microbes. Now, part of the reason for this is that we’ve invested a huge amount in nuclear deterrents. But we’ve actually invested very little in a system to stop an epidemic. We’re not ready for the next epidemic.” Gates has expressed an early interest in vaccine development even before the onset of the Covid-19 outbreak. In 2005, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation pledged US$750mil Battling an invisible enemy By Wong Kiew Moi Sources: TED Talks, in-person interview The Covid-19 pandemic that has taken the world by surprise with its appalling scale and reach has left behind devastating consequences no lesser than that of warfare as we continue to fight a battle against an unseen enemy without firearms, but with the medical fraternity forming the first line of defence. (approximately RM3.3bil) to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation for vaccine research purposes. Treading on unfamiliar territory As more countries fall prey to the Covid-19 pandemic, are Malaysians prepared to deal with the unprecedented scale of the contagion as a nation? “Malaysia’s total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases is around 7,000, which is within the capacity of our national healthcare system. Hospitals have prepared 6,000 beds for Covid-19 patients, in addition to 200 to 300 beds in ICU wards,” explained Datuk Prof. Dr. Awang BulgibaAwangMahmud, a physicianwho serves in Universiti Malaya’s Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, during our interview. As Malaysia’s daily number of infections reaches a plateau, the burden on our healthcare system has gradually eased. Nevertheless, Prof. Awang Bulgiba cautioned, “We still have to be alert, as the pandemic is far from over.” Furthermore, Prof. Awang Bulgiba raised concerns over the difficulties of obtaining accurate Covid-19 statistics from two groups: migrant workers and refugees. Our country’s workforce is fairly dependent on migrant labour Datuk Prof. Dr. Awang Bulgiba Awang Mahmud Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya