CORONAVIRUS | As a result of donations and community efforts, Malaysia will not need to import personal protective equipment (PPE) for now.

This was despite a three-fold increase in demand, said Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

“As of now, we do not have a shortage of PPE as many have donated them. We do not hope to import any PPE.

“The ministry would like to thank industries like the fashion industry for helping us to make PPE. We would also like to thank the Prisons Department and our own staff as well,” he said during the ministry’s daily press conference in Putrajaya this evening.

Since the movement control order began, local fashion designers, prison inmates and medical staff have offered to make PPE for the ministry.

A PPE shortage has hampered several countries’ efforts in fighting the outbreak, most notably in the UK.

Noor Hisham added that facemask and ventilator supplies in the country were also sufficient.

However, he said transporting materials to hospitals across the country fast enough to meet the increased demand was a challenge.

He assured this was being addressed.

“Last week we faced an obstacle in delivering and distributing (the goods) to other states but this has been solved.

“But there are no problems with the amount of stock we need,” he said. 

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