Page 44 - FIGHT AGAINST UNCERTAINTY 5 FEB 2021

Tawau Field Hospital

Hospital Tawau is the only specialist hospital in east coast of
Sabah, limiting access to specialised acute and critical care
for COVID-19 patients with severe illness. Approximately 40%
of cases diagnosed within the locality were at category 3 and
above. To increase capacity of Hospital Tawau, an army field
hospital was established at Kompleks Sukan Tawau, about 10
minutes away from the Hospital, with initial capacity of 100
beds. The field hospital was used to treat non-Covid cases
covering a wide range of services including general medicine,
general surgery and orthopaedic. With the establishment of the
field hospital, more beds in Hospital Tawau could be allocated
for COVID-19 cases with severe illness, while the remaining
Category 1 and 2 patients were placed at surrounding PKRC in
Tawau and Semporna.

The first meeting with the Health Services Division of the
Malaysian Armed Forces was held at the Ministry of Defense
headquarters on 9 October 2020, where the need statements on
the establishment of the field hospital was presented to Mejar
Jeneral Dato’ Dr Zulkeffle Jusoh. Asset was first mobilised from
Kuching on 15 Octoer 2020, Kota Kinabalu on 16 October 2020
and followed by additional assets and military medical team on
17 October 2020 via Airbus 400 from RMAF Air Base in Subang.
The Tawau Field Hospital was completed on 19 October 2020
and started receiving patients on 20 October 2020.

1. Coordination meeting between the Medical
1 3 4 5 Programme and the Armed Forces at the Ministry
of Health Malaysia
2 6 7 2. Mobilisation of military medical team from RMAF
Subang Airport

3. Arrival of military medical team in Tawau
4 & 5. Deployment of medical supplies and equipment
for Tawau Field Hospital
6. Transport of medical supplies and equipment to
RMAF Air Base Subang to be flown to Tawau
7. Tawau Field Hospital was set up at Kompleks
Sukan Tawau

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