CRITICAL
HOSPITAL ICUs and critical care beds for Covid-19 patients in the Klang Valley are operating at 90to-100 per cent capacity. Malaysia also detects its first case of the highly infectious ‘double mutant’ coronavirus variant from India.
THE utilisation rate of critical care beds and intensive care units (ICU) for Covid-19 treatment in the Klang Valley has reached 90 per cent, almost at breaking point.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said based on reports sent to the National Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre, six hospitals with critical care beds and ICU dedicated to treating Covid-19 patients were found to have exceeded the threshold of more than 70 per cent.
Dr Noor Hisham said the hospitals were Sungai Buloh Hospital, Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Ampang Hospital, Serdang Hospital, Selayang Hospital and Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital, with some approaching 100 per cent capacity.
“The University Malaya Medical Centre reported that the use of its critical care beds and ICU for Covid-19 patients was at more than 50 per cent,” he said in a Facebook post yesterday.
He said the management of Covid-19 critical care beds in Klang Valley hospitals was integrated under the supervision of the Central Region Covid-19 Unified Command Centre.
“This more efficient monitoring and management method allows patients in Klang Valley hospitals to be transferred from one hospital to another with critical care bed vacancies.”
He said given the situation, elective surgeries and procedures at hospitals in the Klang Valley would be reduced or delayed to allow more hospital beds to be reserved for Covid-19 treatment.
“This also allows medical personnel to be mobilised to more critical places for the care of Covid-19 patients.”
He said the ministry would continue working with private hospitals, teaching staff or universities in the Klang Valley to increase the capacity of critical beds.
“This includes outsourcing non-Covid-19 patients for certain cases and procedures to be treated in private hospitals, with cost borne by the government at agreed charges.”
He said the outsourcing had been implemented since the second wave hit the country last year.
He said the number of Covid-19 patient admissions to ICUs was on the rise.
Commenting on the situation at the Sungai Buloh Hospital ICU, he wrote: “We are almost running out of beds. Please stay healthy and stay safe.
“May medical frontliners be given the strength to face this
critical moment.”
He said there had been an increase in the number of critically ill Covid-19 patients ventilated in general wards due to the scarcity of available ICU beds.
“Suitable general wards will be repurposed for critical care to meet increasing needs.”
He said there were 80 critical care repurposed beds created in the Klang Valley and more would be added on as required.
He said the Sungai Buloh Hospital, which is fully operational as a Covid-19 hospital, would increase the capacity of critical care beds and ICU in phases to meet the increasing needs.
“The Health Ministry has procured medical equipment, such as ventilators, since last year to enable Sungai Buloh Hospital to increase its capacity for critical treatment beds when there is an urgent need.”
He added that should the increasing trend of Covid-19 cases continue, the health capacity would be at a critical level, which would negatively impact the delivery of public health services.
“Therefore, please help the ministry by adhering to the standard operating procedures set by the government, as well as the ministry’s health advice to break the chain of Covid-19 infections.
“One hundred per cent compliance by all is essential to help the country recover from this crisis.”