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Khairy: MAEPS Reopening To Prevent Non-Covid Care Disruption
Khairy Jamaluddin says there is an increase of hospital admissions “with” Covid, rather than “for” Covid, complicating hospital administration that must isolate these Covid-positive cases.
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 24 – The MAEPS centre in Selangor will be reopened tomorrow as a Covid-19 low-risk quarantine and treatment facility (PKRC) to allow continuity of care for non-Covid cases in hospitals, Khairy Jamaluddin said today.
The health minister explained that hospital beds in the Klang Valley currently suffice for Covid-19 cases, but that MAEPS needs to reopen to accommodate patients with asymptomatic, mild, and moderate Covid-19 in Stages One to Three to prevent disruption of care for elective cases that has been postponed for the past two years.
“This is to safeguard hospital capacity in the Klang Valley and so that non-Covid treatment can be continued without disruption,” Khairy told a press conference today.
He said admission to MAEPS is predominantly for low-risk Covid-19 cases and step-down care. Step-down care refers to intermediate care for patients who may not warrant intensive care unit (ICU) care, but are not stable enough for care in the general ward.
MAEPS, Khairy said, will reopen with 100 beds tomorrow, far lower than the 10,000 beds at the height of the Delta wave last year. There will be a buffer of 850 beds.
He pointed out that during the current wave of the Omicron variant, people are now getting admitted to hospital “with” Covid, rather than “for” Covid, as they seek treatment for other health issues but test positive for Covid-19 in hospital.
Because these patients test positive, they must be isolated from other patients, complicating hospital management.
“They’re sick not because of Covid. With Omicron, there are many cases like this,” Khairy said. “This is why we’re reopening MAEPS.”
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weehingthong 