KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 — The Ministry of Health (MOH) together with the National Security Council (NSC) announced today the formation of the Central Region Covid-19 Unified Command Centre to help manage the Covid-19 response in Klang Valley.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said that the centre will be led by Selangor Health Department director Datuk Dr Sha’ari Ngadiman and assisted by Dr Sarah Shaikh Abdul Karim, a trauma specialist from the Sungai Buloh Hospital.
Dr Noor Hisham added that the bed capacity in both Sungai Buloh and Kuala Lumpur hospitals have been increased, as well as the conversion of Cheras Rehabilitation Hospital into a hybrid Covid-19 hospital.
“We have also opened up eight blocks at the Malaysian MOH Training Institute (ILKKM) in Sungai Buloh to be converted into a low-risk Covid-19 quarantine centre,” he said.
Dr Noor Hisham said that the move to increase bed capacity, designate the Cheras Rehabilitation Hospital as a hybrid Covid-19 hospital, and open eight blocks at ILKKM Sungai Buloh was due to high cases in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.
He added that the bed capacity in Klang Valley was now 4,739 or 14 times what it was before.
“We have increased the number of beds in Sungai Buloh hospital to accommodate 630 Covid-19 patients, Kuala Lumpur Hospital to 831 beds and now the Cheras Rehabilitation hospital can accommodate 231 Covid-19 patients,” he said.
The eight blocks at ILKKM Sungai Buloh could accommodate up to 2,400 patients.
“We will also continue to use the National Leprosy Centre in Sungai Buloh as a low-risk quarantine centre that can hold up to 648 patients,” he said.