Covid-19: Klang hospital to receive 2 more containers to store bodies
The Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital (HTAR) in Klang, Selangor is set to receive two more containers from the Health Ministry ahead of the expected increase in bodies of dead Covid-19 patients.
HTAR director Dr Zulkarnain Mohd Rawi said with the additional containers, the hospital would now have four to be used as morgues, including one donated by MIC and one owned by its Forensic Department.
“With the four containers, as well as the existing facilities at the Forensic Department, we are...
The Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital (HTAR) in Klang, Selangor is set to receive two more containers from the Health Ministry ahead of the expected increase in bodies of dead Covid-19 patients.
HTAR director Dr Zulkarnain Mohd Rawi said with the additional containers, the hospital would now have four to be used as morgues, including one donated by MIC and one owned by its Forensic Department.
“With the four containers, as well as the existing facilities at the Forensic Department, we are able to keep an estimated 150 bodies,” he said when contacted by Bernama today.
Commenting on the issue of bodies piling up at the hospital’s Forensic Department following a shortage of senior health inspectors to manage the funeral arrangements of Covid-19 patients, he said the matter would be resolved in stages with help and assets from the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF).
He said the collaboration was a result of discussions between Health Ministry secretary-general Mohd Shafiq Abdullah and the MAF.
Zulkarnain said HTAR, which has been turned into a Covid-19 hybrid hospital, still accepted other cases, including emergencies such as road accidents and heart attacks.
“We still accept these cases and HTAR also refers road accident and heart attack cases to the Selangor KPJ hospitals in Shah Alam and Klang,” he said.
He said based on the memorandum of understanding signed between the Health Ministry and KPJ Hospital in June, HTAR so far referred about 20 patients requiring further treatment to the two KPJ hospitals.
“We will conduct Covid-19 tests first before the patients are referred to the two hospitals while the cost involved is also borne by the government,” he said.
Commenting on the mobilisation of healthcare workers from outside the Klang Valley, he said so far HTAR received 20 personnel from Perlis to assist with the management of the hospital.
- Bernama
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