KUALA LUMPUR:Upgrading works at the Operation Theatre of Semporna Hospital in Sabah have completed and it is opened to the public Friday thus further raising the preparedness of the hospital to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said with the upgrade, surgeries involving COVID-19 patients could be carried at the operation room of the hospital, and there was no need for such patients to be referred to Tawau Hospital, thus optimising fully the capacity of the hospital.

“The Operating Theatre of Semporna Hospital has been upgraded recently. With the upgrade, the preparedness of Semporna Hospital as well as areas in Sabah east coast would be improved to face the pandemic.

“The Health Ministry will continue to assist Sabah in its hospital preparedness to handle the pandemic,” he said in a Facebook posting today.

In this regard, Dr Noor Hisham also congratulated a woman of Kampung Panji Hujung, Semporna who gave birth to a 2.9 kilogramme baby boy via surgery at Semporna Hospital.

"As announced that the Operation Theatre of Semporna Hospital was reopened on Oct 30 and a caesarean section was performed by Dr Nadia Said (Tawau Hospital gynaecologist) with the staff of Semporna Hospital.

“The baby boy was delivered at 12.59 pm, both mother and infant are well at Semporna Hospital,” he said.

-- BERNAMA