Khairy inspects the site of the landslide near the Tuberculosis Clinic.
KOTA KINABALU: Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) currently has good capacity to handle Covid-19 patients who are admitted to the emergency department, intensive care unit (ICU) or ordinary wards, said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
He said that after his visit to QEH yesterday, where he was briefed by the hospital director Dr William Gotulis on the capacity of the hospital, particularly in coping with Covid-19 patients.
“Compared to two weeks ago, the capacity in QEH now is quite good for us to handle (patients) in ICU, ordinary wards and emergency department.”
The minister also inspected the site of the recent landslide near QEH that had affected a few buildings, including the hospital’s Tuberculosis Clinic.
Khairy said the Public Works Department (PWD) was in the process of assessing the damage and emergency works would need to be carried out.
“We will obtain an estimate from PWD and thereafter apply for allocation to ensure to slope is safe and prevent another landslide from happening to the existing buildings.”
The landslide which occurred at Kg Kopungit on Friday night has destroyed a Health Ministry medicine storage facility.
Five buildings located in QEH’s C complex, namely the Medicine and Consumable store, Chronic Treatment Ward, Rehabilitation Ward, Tuberculosis Clinic and Sleep Lab were deemed at risk due to their proximity to the area of the landslide.
The landslide also caused structural damage to the Sleep Lab building and Hospital Support Services (HSS) store.
Also present was Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah and Sabah Minister of Community Development and People’s Wellbeing Shahelmey Yahya.
In conjunction with his visit, Khairy handed over donation to several staff members from the State Health Department, QEH, Queen Elizabeth Hospital 2 and Sabah Women and Children’s Hospital who were affected by the recent flood and landslide.