Muscat: The Ministry of Health is all set to launch the first phase of COVID-19 field hospital by September-end in cooperation with the private sector, said Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed al Saeedi, Minister of Health, during Supreme Committee media briefing.
Equipped with all necessary COVID-19 treatment facilities, the old airport building would serve the purpose of a field hospital for Corona patients amid fears of an increasing number of positive cases and deaths due to COVID-19.
The field hospital, which is nearing completion, will be used to accommodate and treat COVID-19 patients and will help reduce pressure on the existing healthcare institutions so that they continue to provide services to non-COVID patients.
The facility is likely to have a capacity of 200 to 300 patients, who do not require intensive care and an integrated health system including devices, medical staff doctors, nurses, etc.
The hospital building plan has been assigned to an engineering company, while a medical team is currently working on completing the proposed project.
The old (departures) building is distinguished by a location that is characterised by easy exit and entry, via the bridge opposite the building. Also, it is close to the entrance to the Governorate of Muscat, which makes it easy to receive the patients even from other governorates.
Dr Qasim bin Ahmed al Salmi, Director General of the Royal Hospital, had said in previous statements that the goal of the hospital was also to accommodate COVID-19 patients from outside Muscat Governorate, mainly those patients who couldn’t be taken by the hospitals in their governorates.
“Equipping such field hospitals is not an easy process. It needs time. it is not just a bed, a doctor and a nurse. Rather it includes the entire chain of providing health services starting from treatment, providing medicines, sterilisation materials, to bigger things like assistive devices such as ventilators,” he mentioned.
According to the statistics issued by the Ministry of Health on Sunday, the total number of recorded infections with the COVID-19 in the Sultanate reached 93,475 cases, after registering 1,722 new infections during the last Thursday, Friday and Saturday only. The number of deaths stood at 846, while the number of recovered at 85,418.
The number of people hospitalised within 24 hours reached 64, bringing the total number of those admitted to health institutions to 554, while the total number of those in intensive care is 172.
The rise comes amid fears of a second, fiercer wave after several countries in the world also witnessed a remarkable return of high numbers of new cases with Covid-19 and deaths.
The Ministry of Health urged citizens and residents to continue social distancing, wear masks, use sterilisers, and stay home if they feel any symptoms of the disease. The Supreme Committee also continues to emphasise public and private institutions that employees and workers in institutions should not exceed 70 per cent, conduct temperature checks, provide spacing between employees, as well as adhere to wearing masks, provide sterilisers at workplaces, and adhere to safety procedures.
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