HTAR denies claims Emergency and Trauma dept vacated due to PM's visit

SHAH ALAM: Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital (HTAR) Klang has denied claims that the Emergency and Trauma Department (ETD) was 'vacated' because Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was visiting the hospital yesterday.

Director Dr Zulkarnain Mohd Rawi in dismissing the claims said, the department has already reached its maximum capacity and as of yesterday, 177 patients have yet to be treated.

Dr Zulkarnain said based on the Bed Monitoring Unit report, the current daily ETD cases was between 150 and 180.

He said the transfer of COVID-19 patients to the Ambulatory Care Complex (ACC) which has been converted to a COVID-19 Ward was a Hospital Disaster Management contingency plan.

He said on July 8, Wards G2 and G3 located adjacent to the ETD were identified as spaces that could be used to treat COVID-19 patients.

Meanwhile, on July 9, it was proposed that the ACC be re-designated as a ward to treat COVID-19 patients in a more spacious and comfortable setting.

"The criteria to place COVID-19 patients at the COVID-19 Low Risk Ward was based on the decision made by the Ward Management and not by the ETD," he added.

On trainee doctors being instructed to move from the Trainee Doctors' Dormitory, Dr Zulkarnain said they have been relocated at University of Malaya (UM) Medical Student Hostel which provides better comfort.

He said the move was aimed at optimising the use of Blocks A, B and C of the Trainee Doctors' Dormitory as Block D has already been converted as a COVID Screening Centre (PSC) since April 2020.

Dr Zulkarnain said after all the trainee doctors were transferred to UM Medical Student Hostel on July 12, Blocks A and B were converted as COVID-19 Low Risk Wards.

-- BERNAMA