Sittwe Hospital readies more beds for COVID-19 patients

By Khin Tharaphy Oo 31 Aug 2020

Khin Tharaphy Oo | DMG
31 August, Sittwe

Preparations are underway to receive up to 200 COVID-19 patients at Sittwe General Hospital as medical staff eye an increasing daily case count in Arakan State, said Dr. Zaw Lwin, the hospital’s medical superintendent.

“The child patients’ ward and the medical ward at Sittwe Hospital have been prepared for an additional 100 patients,” he added.

The hospital and Sittwe’s Nursing Training School will have a combined capacity to treat about 240 patients. Currently, there are more than 180 patients between the two locations.

In addition, a plan is in the works to ready Sittwe University to receive more than 300 patients if need be.

Patients are classified into four groups for treatment at Sittwe Hospital, depending on whether they have underlying health conditions. Three patients are currently in intensive care with comorbidities, said Dr. Zaw Lwin.

“One patient has diabetes. Another patient has lung disease and the last one, hypertension. The doctors have to give more intensive care to them than other patients,” he said.

A total of 86 doctors are working as volunteers at Sittwe Hospital, bolstering the ranks of medical professionals at the front line of a recent COVID-19 outbreak.

Some township hospitals in Arakan State report having only enough capacity to treat up to 20 coronavirus patients.

Apart from Ramree and Rathedaung townships, the total number of confirmed cases in Arakan State’s remaining 15 townships had reached 361 as of 8 a.m. on August 31, according to a statement from the Ministry of Health and Sports.

So far, 16 coronavirus patients have recovered and been discharged from hospitals in Arakan State.