MOH, architects to further improve hospital infrastructure - Health DG

Director-General of Health Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah hopes architects and consultants involved in building hospitals will continue to work together with the Ministry of Health (MOH) in improving hospital infrastructure design and planning for the future.

To build better health infrastructure, Dr Noor Hisham suggested five key future healthcare facility design goals that need to be looked into.

"The first goal is making patient-centred care and family as part of the care process since patients are the hospital's reason for being. Second, (practice) efficient operations, clinical safety, optimal functional relationships, value for money, and modern facilities.

"Third, (has) flexibility for expansion and new technology; fourth, sustainable design, reduced energy usage, intense 24-hour use and high occupancy; and finally healing environment to include art and hospitality, not just science and technology," he said in his Facebook post today.

Earlier today, Dr Noor Hisham joined a webinar session hosted by the Malaysian Institute of Architects (PAM) on designing quarantine centres towards a better-built environment.

Dr Noor Hisham explained that the purpose of quarantine during the current outbreak is to reduce transmission by separating contacts of COVID-19 patients from the community, monitoring contacts for development of sign and symptoms, as well as the segregation of COVID-19 suspects as early as possible from among other quarantine persons.

He said the establishment of quarantine centres is a requirement under Section 14 of Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342).

"They can be hospitals or non-hospital facility which is declared and gazetted by MOH. As of 6 July 2020, a total of 1,572 quarantine centres have been gazetted.

"These include hotels, public or MOH training institutes, universities, colleges, hospitals, community halls as well as hostels or quarters," he added.

-- BERNAMA