KUALA LUMPUR, A coffee table book on the experience of Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) staff fight against COVID-19 was launched today.

The book entitled ‘Taming the Tempest’ produced by HKL, was launched by Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa during her official visit to the hospital today.

In her speech, Dr Zaliha said she hoped the book would inspire all and at the same time revealed the important role played by the Health Ministry (MOH) staff during the pandemic.

The book is not available in bookstores at the moment and is only available as reading material at the hospital’s library.

Tomorrow March 18 is the third anniversary of the country implementing the first Movement Control Order (MCO) due to the COVID-19 pandemic that hit the world.

According to Dr Zaliha during the country’s long battle against the invisible enemy, HKL was at that time serving as the largest hybrid hospital in the country.

“Behind all those bittersweet memories, those working at HKL and the Health Ministry in general, continued to give their best service because the ultimate aim was to save lives by providing quality medical services irrespective of religion, race and status.

“Sacrifices and working tirelessly are incomparable and indeed only Allah is able to repay,” she said.

Meanwhile, Dr Zaliha also announced an allocation of RM1 million for HKL for inventory and asset acquisition purposes. She also did not discount the possibility that the figure could be increased for the digitalisation of HKL which has seen some 16,000 patients’ records being managed manually every day.

According to her, HKL which was built in 1870 and is now 153 years old, is not only known as the country’s premier medical reference centre, but it is also the largest hospital in Malaysia and Southeast Asia as well as one of the largest in the Asian region.

She said Kuala Lumpur now has a population of 1.9 million people and it is increasing every year and on that basis, the direction of development of HKL should take into account the needs of services in tandem with the population for the next 10 years.

During the session, Dr Zaliha also visited the Emergency Department, Urgent Care Clinic and the Klang Valley Ambulance Service which is also an initiative under the Emergency Department.

SOURCE: BERNAMA NEWS AGENCY