NST: Number of COVID-19 patients at private hospitals reduces
PUTRAJAYA: The number of Covid-19 patients at private hospitals, including those treated in regular wards and intensive care units (ICUs), has declined over the past two weeks, especially in the Klang Valley.
Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) president Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh said the number of non-Covid-19 patients from government hospitals being treated in private hospitals also showed a reduction.
"Private hospitals have returned to treat non-Covid-19 patients and resume treatments they put on hold due to the pandemic that hit the country.
"Similarly, government hospitals have also started accepting non-Covid-19 patients and the decanting process, transferring non-Covid-19 patients from government hospitals to private hospitals, will be stopped in stages," he said in a statement today.
Previously, the Health Ministry had implemented the decanting of non-Covid-19 patients to private hospitals, to increase bed capacity in public hospitals.
With the implementation, more beds in government hospitals could be used to treat Covid-19 patients which used to peak at 20,000 previously.
Dr Kuljit said to date, a total 3,500 non-Covid-19 patients were treated at private hospitals in the Klang Valley, while in Penang there were 713 patients.
"This was the largest outsourcing of non-Covid-19 patients to private hospitals ever implemented and it has greatly helped government hospitals in managing Covid-19 patients following an increase in daily cases about two months ago."
He added similar efforts were also taken in Johor and Sarawak.
Meanwhile, in the same statement, Dr Kuljit said APHM is hoping private hospitals could help in dispensing vaccines to adolescents or booster doses to certain groups, as well as on health care, especially when the country enters the endemic phase.
He added tourists who are receiving medical treatment in the country should also be allowed to enter as soon as possible, especially those who have completed both doses.
The move, he said will increase the country's income.
"We believe that medical/health tourists are now safe to undergo treatment at the hospitals, following a decrease in the number of Covid-19 patients among locals."
