PETALING JAYA: Hospital Sungai Buloh may reopen for non-Covid-19 treatment in the near future, says Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

       However, efforts to allow Sungai Buloh hospital to serve non-Covid-19 cases will depend on the trend in the coming weeks, he said.

       “The current trend of Covid-19 cases sees a majority of cases only requiring step down care.

       “If this trend continues in the coming weeks, we can then designate the facility as a hybrid centre,” he said after launching the MRI complex at Sungai Buloh hospital along with upgrades to the National Leprosy Control Centre.

       Khairy explained that a hybrid setting would mean the facility would be able to serve non-Covid-19 cases alongside Covid-19 patients.

       “At the same time, the hospital is already functioning as a hybrid facility on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the hospital’s director,” he said.

       He added that the Health Ministry would continue to monitor the trend of cases before allowing the switch and explained that this would allow hospitals to treat backdated non-Covid-19 cases.

       Also present at the launch were Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, Health engineering services director Tauran Zaidi Ahmad Zaidi and hospital director Dr Kuldip Kaur.

       Khairy also commented on the reopening of the low-risk quarantine centre at Malaysia Agro Exposition Park (MAEPS) in Serdang and said it was part of pre-emptive measures to ease the burden on health facilities.

       “Facilities such as Hospital Kuala Lumpur have increased their capacity to treat non-Covid-19 cases and if more Covid-19 patients are referred there, it would potentially create more congestion and disrupt operations,” he said.

       He also noted the increasing number of incidental Covid-19 cases being admitted to hospitals whereby these individuals come for other treatment but test positive for the virus.

       “This creates a complex situation whereby hospitals would then have to isolate the individuals at designated Covid-19 wards despite not displaying any serious symptoms.

       “As such, we would prefer to isolate Covid-19 patients at facilities such as MAEPS which gives hospitals the flexibility in bed management due to incidental Covid-19 cases,” he said.

       Separately, Khairy added that the National Leprosy Control Centre which utilised its wards to treat Covid-19 patients had been upgraded with additional medical equipment.

       “The two-month project which concluded in October last year saw a total of eight wards housing 17 beds each, being equipped with oxygen gas systems to accommodate cases requiring respiratory assistance.

       “These are part of efforts by the Health Ministry to ensure the public health system is able to withstand the potential effects from new waves of cases,” he said.