Pump in RM20m for 'dire' HTAR now, Klang MP urges

 

Klang MP Charles Santiago has urged the government to immediately pump in RM20 million for the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital (HTAR) amid reports that the Klang hospital is struggling to cope with the increasing number of Covid-19 cases.

Though the Health Ministry had earlier announced that a total of RM1.1 million worth of supplies would be provided to HTAR, Charles called it a “laughable” amount.

“Think of it this way: a ventilator costs some RM200,000. And no, five ventilators won’t cut it. The Perikatan Nasional government must pump in RM20 million to enable an upgrade in medical infrastructure including Intensive Care Unit (ICU) facilities, oxygen tanks and beds.

“Instead of stopgap measures that we really cannot afford at this point in time, I urge the government to channel the money to HTAR immediately to save lives,” he said in a statement today.

Describing the situation at HTAR as “dire”, he claimed there were no more beds available, no food for patients, medical equipment breaking down and doctors exhausted from working 14 to 16 hours a day.

“Yes, we know healthcare is strained to the point of bursting but we have seen an increase in infections over the months now. This government has failed to effectively mitigate the spread of Covid-19," Charles said.

As such, it was time to employ all medical graduates and re-call contract doctors with a permanent employment deal and to increase funding, he added.

He shared the experience of his friend who sent food last night to his mother-in-law, a Covid-19 patient at HTAR.

“She received it this morning. The food had obviously gone stale. And there is no food for a few dozen more people who are also stranded with no beds at the hospital.

“My friend’s mother-in-law has been sitting on the same chair for two days now,” Charles said.

Videos of HTAR’s packed Emergency Department have been going viral on social media in recent days. The videos depict many patients either in beds or wheelchairs, awaiting treatment in the ward.

It was later reported that some patients were also placed on temporary canvas beds in the porch of the Emergency Department at HTAR while awaiting transfer to the low-risk treatment and quarantine centre at the Malaysian Agro Exposition Park in Serdang (Maeps).

Scene at Klang's Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital

Selangor Health Department director Dr Sha’ari Ngadiman has since explained that the canvas beds were a “temporary” measure as a majority of the patients at HTAR were first treated at the Emergency Department while waiting for a bed in the wards.

It was reported today that two district hospitals in Malacca have had to start receiving Covid-19 patients as the bed capacity at the Melaka Hospital has reached critical levels.

Melaka Health and Anti-Drug Committee chairperson Rahmad Mariman said 400 out of the 444 beds at the Melaka hospital have been filled, or a total of 91 percent, as reported by Utusan Malaysia.

So far, 13 Covid-19 patients are being treated at the Alor Gajah Hospital and the Jasin Hospital.

“According to the data up to yesterday, the bed capacity at Melaka Hospital is at critical levels that is reaching 91 percent causing two district hospitals to be forced to receive and treat Covid-19 patients starting early this week.

“Jasin Hospital is now treating seven Covid-19 patients whereas Alor Gajah has six patients,” he said.

He said the beds at the Emergency Department of the Melaka Hospital have also been used to place Covid-19 patients including in the green, yellow and red zones.

Previously, that department only reserved 10 beds for Covid-19 patients. That number has since been increased to 60 beds, he said.

He said the plan was for non-critical patients to receive treatment at the nearby Peringgit health clinic which will be open 24 hours.

“We estimate that health clinic can handle as many as 150 green zone patients from the Melaka Hospital.

“The Melaka Hospital is now so crowded that we are forced to use any available space such as meeting rooms, storerooms, ambulance parking areas and so on to place Covid-19 patients,” Rahmad said.

The Melaka state government also plans to increase the number of critical care beds and equipment at the Melaka Hospital to accommodate the needs of the ICU.

As of now, the state is still very far from achieving the criteria needed to transition to Phase 2 of the National Recovery Plan as the average ICU bed usage is past 155 percent, he said. - Mkini