KUALA LUMPUR:The Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) Integrated hospital near here will start operating on Jan 24 to treat COVID-19 patients in categories three, four and five to be stabilised before they are sent for intensive treatment to the hospital.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said the strategy was aimed at treating COVID-19 patients from the COVID-19 Quarantine and Low Risk Treatment Centre (PKRC) MAEPS 2.0 categories one and two which suddenly fell into categories three, four and five.

He said the hospital located in Dewan B would provide the same facilities as in other hospitals such as blood pressure equipment and negative pressure tent with 30 beds for categories three and four while outside the hall a tent for transit Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with 10 beds.

“The Health Ministry (MOH) will also increase the number of staff here including infectious diseases specialists and intensivists who can handle more complex COVID-19 cases involving intensive treatment,” he said at a press conference after visiting PKRC MAEPS 2.0 here, today.

Commenting further, Dr Adham said PKRC MAEPS 2.0, which has been operating since Dec 9, will start accommodating 10,000 COVID-19 patients in categories one and two starting Jan 18.

“I have surveyed the new places and they are conducive because the preparations are so meticulous and neat including the special place for COVID-19 positive families.

“PKRC MAEPS 2.0 will also receive COVID-19 patients in categories one and two who have recovered from categories three, four and five who were treated at hospitals for COVID-19 cases as well as patients from Johor, Melaka and Negeri Sembilan and the Klang Valley,” he said.

Meanwhile, on home treatment if there is a positive COVID-19 case, Dr Adham said, COVID-19 Assessment Centre (CAC) will be established in every district throughout the state with permission and evaluation from district health officers.

“Those who are asymptomatic and have a place to be isolated in the house will be considered. If they come from a narrow and crowded house and have other diseases they will have to go to the hospital” he said.

On the development of the vaccine, Dr Adham said the MOH had received a list of names of 500,000 frontline staff from the ministry to be vaccinated for the first phase next month.

In another development responding to the allegation that the mySalam national health protection scheme was abolished, Dr Adham said the scheme was still ongoing and the MySalam counter was still operating in every hospital to help patients who are eligible for the aid scheme.

-- BERNAMA