MELAKA – An armed forces field hospital will be set up at Jasin Hospital soon to alleviate the burden of Melaka Hospital, as bed usage there reaches critical levels.
State Health and Anti-Drugs Committee chairman Datuk Rahmad Mariman said the field hospital will also cater for non-Covid-19 patients and allow Melaka Hospital to fully focus on Covid-19 treatment.
He said until last Wednesday, bed usage at Melaka Hospital was at 90% for regular patients while Covid-19 bed usage was at 91%, or 400 out of 444 beds.
“Almost all of the space in Melaka Hospital has been used for treatment, including all zones in the emergency department, meeting rooms and stores while tents have been mounted in the ambulance parking lot to accommodate Covid-19 patients.
“The federal government yesterday approved Melaka's request to establish a field hospital,” he said after visiting a drive-through vaccination centre (PPV) at the Melaka International Airport (LTAM) in Batu Berendam here today.
Rahmad said the field hospital can accommodate up to 100 non-Covid-19 patients.
He said this was among the measures taken for Covid-19 treatment, besides efforts to reduce the use of critical beds to below 70% to achieve the criteria to move into Phase 2 of the National Recovery Plan.
Rahmad said two more district hospitals, namely in Alor Gajah and Jasin, are set to accomodate Covid-19 patients from this week. – Bernama, July 9, 2021
