Since 1st April 2021, 12 government hospitals in Johor have been functioning as COVID-19 hybrid hospitals, treating not only those afflicted by the pandemic but also non-COVID-19 patients.
According to R. Vidyananthan, chairman of the State Health and Environment Committee, a total of 49 patients were receiving intensive care unit (ICU) treatment at six specialty hospitals as of 4th May 2021.
“Of the total, 39 of them need respiratory assistance,” he said in a statement.
He said that the use of ICU beds for COVID-19 patients was 114%, far exceeding the 43 beds set aside for the patients.
Vidyananthan added that providing more COVID-19 ICU beds is limited by a lack of human capital as well as the large number of chronically ill non-COVID-19 patients who need intensive care.
According to him, the 12 government hospitals that are part of the COVID-19 hybrid hospital are open during regular business hours, but the number of appointments at specialist clinics has been limited by 50 to 60%.
“Elective surgery is still not being performed”, he said, with the exception of cancer-related elective surgery, which has been on hold since 2020.
