The Sandakan Sports Complex was converted into a temporary hospital to treat stable Covid-19 patients. – Photo by Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 29): There are currently 8,506 hospital beds in Sabah to treat Covid-19 patients, with a 43 per cent usage rate, Deputy Health Director-General Datuk Dr Rohaizat Yon said today.
In a Facebook posting shared by the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) director-general, Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, Dr Rohaizat said that the MOH also has enough Covid-19 beds in the event of an increase in cases.
“As of October 27, 2020, there are 25 MOH hospitals in Sabah with a capacity of 4,686 beds. Of the 25 hospitals, nine hospitals operate as Covid-19 hybrid hospitals. Covid-19 hybrid hospitals treat all types of patients, regardless whether they are Covid-19 patients or not. The nine Covid-19 hybrid hospitals have allocated 1,264 beds for the treatment of Covid-19 patients, with a usage rate of 59 per cent so far.
“To further strengthen the readiness to deal with the increase in cases of Covid-19 patients, MOH also provided extra beds through the establishment of Quarantine and Low Risk Covid-19 Treatment Centres (PKRC) in Sabah, where so far there are 27 PKRCs operating with 7,242 bed capacity and its usage rate is 41 per cent. With this, the total number of beds for the treatment of Covid-19 patients in hospitals and PKRC in Sabah is 8,506 with a usage rate of 43 per cent,” he said.
Dr Rohaizat added that the MOH is also preparing an additional six PKRCs as a proactive preparedness initiative, based on the upward trajectory of new Covid-19 cases in Sabah.
He said that following the relatively high bed usage rate at Likas Hospital, four PKRCs were readied and provided with a capacity of 433 beds, and another two PKRCs, with a capacity of 350 beds, to support the Likas Hospital operations.
“In addition, allocations have also been made for Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kota Kinabalu for the construction of additional Intensive Care Units (ICUs), as well to upgrade the existing ICU facilities, including purchasing critical medical equipment such as ventilators, patient beds and patient monitors. The Duchess of Kent Hospital, Sandakan also received an allocation for the construction of an additional ICU.
“As laboratory services are important, allocations for the preparation of laboratories for the Department of Pathology of Tawau Hospital and Lahad Datu Hospital, in addition to upgrading the laboratory of Queen Elizabeth Hospital, were also provided,” Dr Rohaizat added. – Malay Mail