M’sian field hospital in Cox’s Bazar to be equipped with water treatment system
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian- sponsored field hospital under construction near a Rohingya refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, will have an innovative treatment system to prevent patients and staff from being exposed to contaminated water.
Navy chief Admiral Tan Sri Ahmad Kamarulzaman Ahmad Badaruddin said it was designed by the Malaysian Armed Forces ( MAF) and Puncak Niaga Holdings Bhd to help solve the problem of water borne diseases at the refugee camp.
“The system is fully solarpowered, and equipped with a UV (ultra-violet) system to kill germs in water,” he told Bernama when speaking about his visit to Cox’s Bazar in conjunction with the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium ( IONS) 2017 held in Bangladesh, recently.
He said the hospital, which is scheduled to begin operating on Dec 1, will be manned by 50 doctors as well as a group of nurses and volunteers.
Ahmad Kamarulzaman said he was deeply touched by the volunteering spirit shown by Malaysians to realise the project, adding that the government of Bangladesh had also expressed their appreciation to the MAF and the Malaysian government for the assistance.
He said he was also given the honour by the Bangladeshi military to visit one of the Rohingya refugee camps and distribute essential items such as buckets, blankets and cereals to a group of refugees.
“Looking at the condition of the refugee camp, as Malaysians, we should be grateful for the peace enjoyed in this country, as many of our people do not appreciate it, or take it for granted,” he said.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced that once built, the field hospital could accommodate up to 150 patients at a time, and would include facilities such as an operation theatre, X-ray facility and nursing room. — Bernama