LABUAN, June 20 — The Labuan Natural Disaster Management Committee has decided to turn Labuan Corporation’s multipurpose hall into a field hospital due to its proximity to the Labuan Nucleus Hospital.
The multipurpose hall is currently used as a low-risk quarantine centre with a 300-bed capacity.
Labuan Health Department director Dr Ismuni Bohari said the field hospital with 100 beds (four beds allocated for transit intensive care unit) would cater for Covid-19 category three and four patients.
“Beginning Tuesday next week (June 22), we will start making preparations to transform the quarantine centre into a field hospital and on Saturday (June 26) it will be operational.
“The field hospital is part of our efforts to provide conducive and comprehensive treatment for Covid-19 patients.
“After a thorough study (due to the spike in Covid-19 cases), we requested to the Ministry of Health (MoH) to set up this field hospital with the close cooperation from the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM),” he told Bernama at the newly-opened vaccination centre (PPV) at Dewan Mutiara, Taman Perumahan Mutiara here today.
Dr Ismuni said category three and four patients are those who are in need of medical oxygen assistance.
“However, patients with post-Covid-19 conditions (patients across all ages suffering pain, breathing difficulties, hyperlipidemia, malaise and fatigue and hypertension) will be treated at the Labuan Nucleus Hospital,” Dr Ismuni said.
He explained that the capacity of the second low-risk quarantine centre at the Industrial Training Institute (ILP) would be maximised for Covid-19 category one and two patients.
“We will relocate those undergoing quarantine at the multipurpose hall to the ILP as preparations for the field hospital will begin on Tuesday,” he said.
Dr Ismuni said Covid-19 Variants of Concern (VOC) are believed to have spread widely in the local community, leading to a spike in positive cases over the past few weeks.
“The field hospital is for us to prepare for the possibility of a further increase in Covid-19 cases,” he said.
Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Saturday said the Malaysian Armed Forces would build a field hospital in Labuan to accommodate the growing number of Covid-19 patients here.
Ismail Sabri said the ATM technical team would be deployed to Labuan next Tuesday with eight doctors, including specialists, and 30 paramedics.
Some parts of Labuan have been placed under a total lockdown from June 15 to June 28, including eight localities in the town centre, namely Kampung Sungai Keling; Simpang Sahari in Kampung Bukit Kalam; the water villages of Kg Patau-Patau 1 and 2; Taman Perumahan Mutiara Sg Bedaun; Kampung Layang-Layangan; Kampung Durian Tunjong and Kampung Tanjung Aru. — Bernama
