MAF field  hosp in Tawau expects 70pc usage of beds 

Kuala Lumpur: The Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) field hospital in Tawau, Sabah is targeting optimum operations at 70 per cent usage of its beds. 

The MAF headquarters, in a statement, said the field hospital had received 251 patients since it began operations on Oct 22, and of this number, 221 patients had been discharged as of Monday.

“There are now 30 patients with no surgery cases conducted at the hospital so far, but the MAF surgical team has been deployed to help the Tawau Hospital Surgery Unit.

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“The capability of the field hospital can be stepped up at any time, including the provision of an operating theatre and High Dependency Unit (HDU),” said the statement. It said the MAF and Health Ministry (MOH) had deployed 39 officers and 140 men and personnel at the field hospital.

“The MAF surgery and anaesthetic team will work with the Sabah East Coast Health Cluster to perform elective surgeries for cases like cancer and growths which had been postponed earlier.

“This includes emergency surgeries for non-Covid-19 cases at Kunak Hospital in view that Tawau Hospital needs to concentrate on Covid-19 cases,” the statement added.

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The field hospital will also get support from the Tawau Hospital Blood Transfusion Unit for patients and Safe O blood supply will be made available there for emergency use. “The Tawau Hospital Psychiatric Department will also place stable psychiatric patients for treatment at the field hospital,” it said.

Chief of Defence Force Jen Tan Sri Affendi Buang, in the same statement, said cooperation between the MAF and MOH would be continued in line with the MAF’s commitment to secondary duties to ensure the people’s wellbeing. 

“The use of current logistic facilities to channel aid to Sabah will continue with the deployment of MAF assets according to needs, especially airlifts involving Royal Malaysian Air Force aircraft,” he said.