PUTRAJAYA must immediately intervene to improve the situation at the emergency department of the Klang’s Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah (HTAR), where patients are lying on camp beds outside the building, Klang MP Charles Santiago said.

“It is heart-wrenching to see dozens of Covid-19 patients parked outside Klang hospital’s emergency department for the lack of proper beds inside,” he said in a statement today.

Calling the situation a “tragedy” and he asked for urgent government intervention, adding that he will be writing to the Health Minister for an immediate increase in funding allocations for HTAR.

This would be to build a standalone temporary facility to accommodate Covid-19 patients, Santiago said.

“I will also urge the government to use nearby budget hotels and public halls as an interim measure to place patients,” he added.

Santiago said he will be approaching large corporations based in Klang to support HTAR with urgent medical equipment. 

On Twitter, he shared images of the current situation at HTAR, which showed patients lying on camp beds set up in the driveway of the hospital’s emergency department entrance.

Health Minister Dr Adham Baba said three days ago that hospital bed usage in the Klang Valley was past 85%, as Covid-19 cases continue to surge daily.

Today, Malaysia recorded 7,097 new Covid-19 cases, surpassing the 7,000 mark for the second day in a row.

As of yesterday, there were 943 people in the ICU, with 450 needing respiratory assistance.

Last week, photos and videos of chaotic scenes at Hospital Kuala Lumpur were shared on social media by doctors who said that beds had run out to the point that a patient had to be treated on the floor. – July 7, 2021.