Armed Forces to build field hospital in Labuan - Ismail Sabri

SAMARAHAN: The Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) will build a field hospital in Labuan to accommodate the growing number of COVID-19 patients there, Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said.

He said the decision to build the hospital was made after a sharp increase in COVID-19 positive cases which has led to the entire of Labuan being placed under the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO).

"We were asked by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to provide a field hospital there because the number of beds in the existing hospital is at a critical level," he said at a press conference after visiting the Army drive-thru vaccination centre at Muara Tuang Camp, Samarahan here.

Ismail said the ATM technical team would be deployed to Labuan next Tuesday and the hospital is expected to operate from June 27 with 90 beds, four Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds, eight doctors, including specialists, and 30 paramedics.

Meanwhile, Ismail said a total of 7,032 individuals comprising military personnel, families and civil servants around Kuching had been listed to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

"The drive-thru programme will be further expanded. The Defence Ministry and the Armed Forces will implement the programme to cover military camps throughout the country," Ismail Sabri said.

The programme at the Muara Tuang camp will be carried out for five days from today, starting as early as 8 am to 4 pm with an estimated 960 vaccine recipients a day, he said.

He said the ATM will also assist the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) in Sarawak by deploying the Combat Medic Vaccination Team (CMVT) to rural areas.

"So far, five vaccination locations in rural areas in Sarawak have been identified covering three divisions in Sarawak, namely Limbang, Kapit and Sibu with vaccines to be delivered using air, water and land routes," he said.

CMVT in Sarawak will be coordinated by the 1st Infantry Division Headquarters with five medical officers and 15 paramedics mobilised, and also 30 support personnel working in each area.

-- BERNAMA