The Permanent Secretary for Health, Doctor James Fong says the current surge in influenza cases has added further strain to their outpatient care capacity as they continue to see a high number of leptospirosis, typhoid, dengue and diarrhoea cases in communities, while also continuing their efforts to support COVID-19 vaccination needs.
He says these factors together only increase the pressure on all healthcare services, especially their outpatient facilities.
Dr Fong says children under the age of 5, especially babies and the elderly are most at risk of severe influenza.
He says the Ministry has been working on measures to open more facilities with extended service hours and to streamline outpatient services to help reduce waiting times.
The Permanent Secretary for Health adds many of their staff have returned from annual leave that had been deferred during the second and third waves of COVID-19, as well as sick leave during this increase in flu.
He says they have also made adjustments in their outreach programs to deal with LTDD, and vaccination needs, in order to free up staff for outpatients services in health centres to help improve services.
Dr Fong says the Ministry is also pursuing the engagement of general practitioners to provide outpatient services to the general public in a public-private partnership arrangement during this surge of influenza infections.
