SANDAKAN – The Duchess of Kent Hospital (HDOK) has apologised for late lunch deliveries to Covid-19 patients quarantined in a block at the Batu Putih People’s Housing Project (PPR) in Mile 7 here.
Its director Dr Francis Paul confirmed that the hospital oversees food for non-critical Covid-19 patients at block F which has been converted into an extension ward during the pandemic.
He said HDOK had sent lunch later than scheduled due to lack of staff and the proximity of the PPR from the hospital.
“I did inspect the delivery time. We apologise for this,” he said. “We are looking into getting more volunteers to help in matters such as delivering food to patients in ward extensions, as well as transferring patients from one place to another.
“Of course, the volunteers will be trained so that they would be able to handle driving the patients from one point to another, for example from the hospital to the extended wards.
“We are also working on outsourcing the food services like what is done in Tawau, and on seeking help from our nearby kitchens,” he said.
Paul said that 230 beds have been made available at the extended ward for Covid-19 patients categorised as stable.
Yesterday, The Vibes reported that a patient staying in the block had been forced to wait until 3pm for his lunch.
“It takes them a long time to deliver the food. I am staying in Block F, where 70 stable Covid-19 patients are placed,” the patient had said.
“I hope they (relevant party) will give this attention as we are already sick with the virus, and now we have to wait till 3pm for our lunch. It’s unreasonable.”
HDOK has three ward extensions as the hospital now has insufficient beds to cater for growing numbers of Covid-19 patients in the district.
Other than the Batu Putih PPR, ward extensions in Sandakan include Anjung Kasih in HDOK (36 beds), Nursing College Sandakan (40 beds), and Sandakan Sports Complex (200 beds). – The Vibes, October 12, 2020.
