Staff members from the Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre (CPRC) are among the behind-the-scene personnel who should be appreciated as they continue to work right through the festive period and sacrifice their family time, said Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

He said that since the COVID-19 outbreak, the public began to acknowledge the important role played by the CPRC in particular, and the public health (sector) in general.

"Every sector is a health sector and all parties need to care about the importance of public health. CPRC personnel collect, analyse and report daily data of all outbreaks and disasters it receives nationwide from the field for daily reporting.

"A million thanks to all CPRC personnel nationwide for working tirelessly day and night, seven days a week, including on public holidays and weekends, to plan, coordinate and implement MOH's preparation and response plans at headquarters, State Health Department, District Health Offices, hospitals, clinics and field levels," he said.

Dr Noor Hisham, through his official Facebook page, said he also managed to spend some time with CPRC personnel nationwide via live video streaming before attending the daily CPRC meeting this evening.

-- BERNAMA