Health Minister Dr Adham Baba has assured the public that the Ministry of Health, the backbone of the nation’s fight against Covid-19, remains a united front.
In an exclusive interview with Malay daily Berita Harian, Dr Adham said rumours of a strained relationship between him and Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah should stop.
Adham said any disruption or bickering will cause the nation to enter a “war” with Covid-19 in a disadvantageous situation.
“As we battle Covid-19, we cannot be arguing.
“Our ‘army’ must be on the same page. There must be the delegation of work. What’s most important is seeing policies being introduced.”
Having been appointed to the cabinet only on March 10, Dr Adham said he has not had a lot of time to study the ministry’s policies.
“My focus has been to prepare my ‘generals’ to fight Covid-19.
“Alhamdulillah, I’ve received cooperation from all levels of the ministry. But under me, there is also the D-G and secretary-general, who play key roles.”
Dr Adham said apart from himself, another person responsible for disseminating the right information is the ministry’s director-general.
As such, he had asked for Dr Noor Hisham to work closely with the media to manage the communication aspect as well as being the main spokesperson.
“I’ve asked the D-G to provide the latest data, to counter any concerns arising from false information.
“He also ensures that I conduct my responsibilities well.
“As the ‘commander’, I am the backbone of the ministry. When the time comes, I will face the people when I answer in Parliament.
“It’s not the D-G who will answer in Parliament, but the minister and deputy minister.”