Warded patients’ relatives told to utilize QEH’s dormitory

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Stephen Wong

KOTA KINABALU: Relatives of ward patients should make use of Queen Elizabeth Hospital 1’s (QEH’s) free public dormitory instead of turning its grounds into a ‘refugee camp’, urged Health and People’s Wellbeing minister Stephen Wong Tien Fatt.

Wong said the dormitory, located very close to QEH1, has 40 beds and occupancy is only currently at 78% full.

However, the public are not keen on using the facility and would rather sit or lie down in the wards or lobby area whilst waiting for their loved ones to be treated for up to eight days.

“For those who are living in the wards, maybe that one can be excused but living in the lobby in the outside when there is a place for them to stay, I think that is not justified,” Wong told reporters during a working visit to QEH1 here on May 21.

“I think for that the hospital is maybe taking steps (to overcome) this thing. For those who are staying you have to live in the space that is provided unless there is already full house.

“We are considerate, to give all the convenience but the public also have to work together with us. Otherwise you will make our hospital just like a refugee camp,” he elaborated.

The hospital often practices slow and soft persuasions to lure relatives to the stay at the hospital’s dormitory, which are segregates its male and female guests.

“The relative of the patients should cooperate with the hospital. There is no reason when we offer you, you do not want to stay in the lobby and make our hospital very ugly in the evening. This is not a refugee camp,” he reiterated.

“We want to do our best. Whatever our shortcoming, we will improve but we need the public to work together with us then we can only develop,” he added.