KOTA KINABALU: Anaesthesiology and critical treatment services at the Lahad Datu Hospital will face disruptions in operations as five of its medical officers have left for various reasons starting this month.
According to a letter from the hospital sent to the Health Ministry to explain about this shortage, two of their medical officers will pursue their Masters, two have been transferred to the Selangor Health Department and one resigned.
This shortage would increase the risk of suspension of services, the letter said, as only four medical officials are left to attend to the six intensive care unit (ICU) beds, mechanical and non-invasive ventilation services at ICU wards, operation theatres (one 24 hour emergency theatre and two elective surgeries), acute pain services and anaesthesiology.
All these services need at least 11 officials for the smooth running of operations, it explained.
Therefore, drastic measures have been put in place starting June 1, whereby elective surgeries will be reduced from two rooms to one and temporary suspension of the anaesthesia and pre-anaesthesia assessment for outside surgeries.
Starting June 8, only semi-elective surgeries are to be performed to focus on emergency cases, and ICU beds to be reduced from six to three.
In response, the Sabah Health Department on Saturday (June 6) issued a statement stating that several proactive measures have been identified and would be implemented immediately.
The statement said that there would be transfer of medical officers from cluster hospitals such as Kota Kinabalu and Tawau to the Lahad Datu Hospital.
This is to ensure that the clinical and major services at the Lahad Datu Hospital would not be affected.
“The capacity of services will be strengthened with the placement of three permanent medical officers and two temporary officers there. All are expected to report for duty in July,” it added.
The department would also focus on sending contract medical officials to facilities that lack critical manpower and control the transfer of officials out of the hospital to ensure enough manpower.
