Covid-19 wards in Klang Valley private hospitals full, unable to accept more patients

PETALING JAYA: Most private hospitals in the Klang Valley are not able to accept any more Covid-19 patients as the wards allocated to treat these cases are full, says Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) president Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh (pic).

He said private hospitals had been admitting Covid-19 patients since January after the government requested assistance to manage the pandemic.

He said private hospitals had provided beds and expertise based on their individual capacity and capability.

However, due to the spike in Covid-19 cases over the last 14 days, all beds designated for the disease in private hospitals are occupied, including isolated ICU beds.

"Most private hospitals are not able to accept any more Covid-19 patients, particularly in the Klang Valley.

"Private hospitals are constrained on the number of beds and ICU facilities that can accommodate Covid-19 patients as well as the availability of specialists and nurses," he said in a statement on Thursday (April 29).

Dr Kuljit said that even beds in government facilities in the Klang Valley and Johor were filling up fast.

"The biggest fear would be if we face a healthcare shutdown because of non-availability of beds and oxygen treatment," he said.

He suggested that government hospitals decant non-Covid-19 patients to private hospitals as an immediate step in order to create space for Covid-19 patients in public hospitals.