PUTRAJAYA: Plans to close schools due to the extreme heat will be reviewed first before any announcement can be made by the Health Ministry, says Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.

Extreme weather incidents must be reviewed in detail by Health director-general Datuk Dr Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan before any announcement is made, said the Health Minister.

“Do not fear; if there (are) calls for it (school closure), then we will announce it,” he told reporters at the Medical Device Authority Awards 2023 here yesterday.

Dzulkefly added that the existing guideline for schools to avoid outdoor activities if the temperature is above 35°C for three consecutive days is still in force.

On Thursday, Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said the El Nino phenomenon is expected to continue for the next two months.

He said Kelantan, Perlis and Kedah are experiencing higher temperatures than Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia recorded the highest temperature of 40.1°C in Chuping, Perlis on April 9, 1998.

As at April 4, the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has issued 748 heat alerts for various areas nationwide, surpassing last year’s total of 397 alerts.

Meanwhile, Dzulkefly said an emergency meeting was going to be held last night with his ministry’s top management to discuss follow-up measures on the shortage of medical officers in district hospitals.

“We used to produce between 6,000 and 7,000 fresh medical graduates, but the numbers have declined to almost 50%.

“We will announce in the next two or three days, on how (the measures) can be implemented.”

In a post on X on April 26, Dzulkefly said he had instructed both federal and state health leadership to review the human resource situation involving public hospitals and to review necessary actions involving the placement of housemen in the country.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/05/04/dzul-health-ministry-will-review-any-measures-for-schools