SIBU – The construction of a modular intensive care unit (ICU) with 10 beds in the Covid-19 patient treatment ward of Sibu Hospital here is expected to be completed on October 11, said Deputy Health Minister II Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang.
Apart from that, he said his team was also conducting a cost assessment for the construction of a field hospital in Sibu Hospital’s car park that could accommodate 100 beds – 50 beds for male and female patients each.
He said the construction of the modular ICU and field hospital were immediate steps taken by the government to overcome congestion in the Covid-19 patient treatment ward at Sibu Hospital.
“When completed, non-Covid-19 patients in the Sibu Hospital wards will be transferred to the field hospital,” he told reporters after visiting Sibu Hospital today, following a report by a news portal on conditions faced by patients at Sibu Hospital.
“I was assigned to see whether what was said in the portal report was true, and to see firsthand what is really happening at Sibu Hospital.
“After visiting Sibu Hospital, (I can say) what was said in the news portal is also true. We can’t say it didn’t happen,” he said.
Meanwhile, Aaron also said he was informed that Sibu Hospital staff were no longer working for eight hours a day, but 12 hours a day according to shifts, due to the insufficient number of doctors and nurses, as some of them had been quarantined for Covid-19 infection.
“There are many Covid-19 cases in the ICU, while normal Covid-19 wards are overcrowded. There are wards capable of accommodating 28 to 29 beds, but are now accommodating 40 to 50 beds. This is a challenging situation.
“The number of workers is still the same, so their working hours have to be extended. However, I understand leave is still given to those who really need it,” he added. – Bernama, October 2, 2021
