Balik Pulau quarantine centre cramped with too many patients - reports

 

COVID-19 | A quarantine centre for low-risk Covid-19 patients in Penang is said to have been filled with too many people.

Patients there complained that hundreds of them are cramped together which had led to SOPs being neglected.

According to local media reports, the temporary facility which uses the Balik Pulau Sports Complex has over 400 patients at one time, and they allegedly had to scramble against each other every time meals were provided and to perform prayers.

The patients are also sharing 10 toilets which led to a long queue with some having to wait for their turn as long as one hour, Utusan Malaysia reported.

"I was informed that some 432 positive Covid-19 patients are currently undergoing quarantine at this centre. They also have to wait for more than an hour to use the toilet because of insufficient facilities to cater for over 400 individuals," Pulau Betong state assemblyperson Mohd Tuah Ismail told the Malay daily.

A patient who is being quarantined there told another Malay daily that the SOPs set were not practised at the centre due to the cramped condition.

Declined to be named, the individual claimed that even the arrangement of beds was so close between patients.

"I cannot live in such a condition anymore. This is not only unhelpful for my recovery, but it can also even make it worse," he said, as quoted by Sinar Harian.

Chow Kon Yeow

The issue has gotten the attention of the Penang state government, with Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow saying that all officers on duty at the centre are working to rectify the issues.

However, he said some of the complaints were not entirely accurate.

"Given that the number of cases has increased rapidly, the operation room is now monitoring the condition of all patients at all times. Regarding the complaint about the facilities provided, I think the information is not accurate.

"The state health department has informed me that face masks have been provided to all patients at the centre, while food is provided three times a day. However, all complaints we receive will be looked into," Chow said.

Meanwhile, Balik Pulau MP Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik in a statement yesterday urged the authorities and related agencies to take immediate action to address the issues raised by patients.

"The situation now has gotten worse, as many of the toilets have been clogged and caused sewage water to come back up.

"Due welfare must be given to the people who are being quarantined at the Balik Pulau quarantine centre," he said. - Mkini