ABSTRACT
To study the characteristics of paediatric patients admitted to two non-COVID-19 teaching hospitals before and during the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) in Malaysia. The retrospective study was performed in two phases (before MCO between February to March 2020, and during MCO lockdown between March to April 2020) in two teaching hospitals on the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Hospitalized children <18 years were included and those coming for elective procedures or oncology treatment were excluded. The clinical data were retrieved from both hospitals' admission records. There was a total of 496 and 191 admissions to two teaching hospitals on the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia, respectively. A significant reduction in the number of non-COVID-19 hospital admissions was seen in both hospitals. For Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, the daily hospital admissions were reduced with a mean of 10 (before MCO) to 7 (during MCO) admissions/day (95% CI 1.54,7.54, p=0.001). In Sultan Ahmad Shah Medical Centre, a reduction in hospital admission was seen from 5 (before MCO) to 3 (during MCO) admissions/day (95% CI 0.61, 3.15, p=0.005). Our study observed a general drop in non-COVID-related respiratory illnesses and infectious disease cases during the MCO period. There were significant differences in neurological (p=0.029) and accident (p = 0.001) cases admissions observed between the two periods. Copyright © 2022, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Digitalization in Malaysia shapes the nature of entrepreneurial opportunities and the effectiveness of governmental policies, practices, and funding to improve those opportunities. The positive impact of the digital age, in terms of job creation and economic expansion, has prompted a set of cyber-development initiatives during the Coved-19 pandemic to alleviate poverty;first to boost the productivity potential of digital entrepreneurs, and second to forward progress towards Cyberpreneurship, especially during lockdown protocols, which is in line with promoted Working from Home (WFH) efforts. This study explores the potential factors of the initiatives needed for Covid-19 pandemic situational poverty eradication. Next, to analyses how these factors relate to a single mothers’ participation in Cyberpreneurship. This study highlights several entrepreneurial and policy ideas to decrease poverty among single-mother entrepreneurs. The study relies on in-depth qualitative research that includes a systematic literature review and Focus Group Discussions (FGD). A total of n = 12 interviews were conducted with seven single, micro-entrepreneurs, mothers, two Officers of The Ministry of Women, Family, and Community Development (KPWKM) Department, and three local Community Welfare Officers. The findings of this research indicate that competency among single mothers has a significant influence on poverty alleviation. The correlation between the constructs has shown that most participant members actively contribute to the human, economic, cultural, and social capitals. This research is critical for understanding the circumstances that facilitate digital entrepreneurship which guides public policies to support single, low-income, women and suggests potential improvements to their socioeconomic conditions by using cyber technology as an entrepreneurship option, particularly during this ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
ABSTRACT
Background: Infectious diseases have been a constant threat to people's health and survival, at least thirty re-emerging and emerging diseases (Parks, 2009) are known to be of public health importance posing a burden to the health system;in addition, emergence of COVID-19 further tested the resilience of the health system to respond to public health emergencies (NCDC, 2020). This study assessed the effect of COVID-19 on use of maternal and child health (MNCH) services with objectives being the impact on family planning use, antenatal care visits, facility-based delivery and child related services such as immunization, child nutrition and outpatient clinic in FMC Gusau. Data from units offering MNCH services for six months, three months pre-covid-19 index case (January to March) and three months post covid-19 index case (April to June), corresponding to the period of lockdown, in addition same periods in the previous year (2019) was retrieved and entered into Statically package for social sciences (SPSS) now IBM statistic, comparison was made using comparable period of the year as well as a pre and post Covid index case. Over the six-months period, aggregate data shows that hospital visit for all categories of maternal newborn and child health reduced three months (April, May and June) post covid index case in the facility and subsequent proclamation of lockdown in the State, as compared to three-months pre-covid (January, February and first three weeks of March) Despite the additional burden imposed by the emergence of COVID-19 in FMC Gusau and the Attendant stretched on health system, the resilience of the health system was brought to fore, however with support from Federal ministry of health, National Centre for disease control and other agencies, FMC Gusau was able to use the COVID-19 emergency to strengthen service provision.
ABSTRACT
This study aims to develop a reference platform for converting Malaysia Agriculture Expo Park Serdang (MAEPS) to the Low-Risk COVID-19 Quarantine and Treatment Centre (PKRC) to face the increased numbers Covid-19. This study employed qualitative methodologies and further developed 3D modeling involving AutoCAD, SketchUp, and V-Ray software. The limitation is developing a 3D model visualization of MAEPS on Phase 1 and Phase 2 at Hall A only. The findings display the application of 3D visualization potentially becomes a reference to creating the quarantine centre in the future.