Explosive COVID-19 Patients, Sultan Suriansyah Hospital In Banjarmasin Adds Beds And Prepares Emergency Tents

BANJARMASIN - The place to treat COVID-19 patients at the Sultan Suriansyah Regional General Hospital (RSUD) in Banjarmasin City, South Kalimantan is fully occupied. Some patients are even treated in the emergency room (IGD).

This was stated by the Head of the Banjarmasin City Health Office, Machli Riyadi in Banjarmasin, quoted from Antara, Tuesday, July 27. "Some are even placed in the emergency room," he said.

The city government-owned hospital provides 50 beds for COVID-19 patients. In the last few days, continued Machli, the number of people infected with the corona virus has increased.

The Health Office is trying to add an inpatient place for COVID-19 patients at the Sultan Suriansyah Hospital on Jalan RK Ilir, South Banjarmasin. The number of beds for COVID-19 patients at the hospital will be increased by 75 to a total of 125 beds.

If the additional care facilities provided are full, the agency will build an emergency tent in front of the hospital to support the handling of COVID-19 patients.

"At first, we wanted to make the Social Service Education and Training Center a COVID-19 emergency hospital, but it didn't feel right, because the location was far from the hospital, making it difficult for health workers," he said

"So it is precisely centered at Sultan Suriansyah Hospital, we can also get BPBD assistance for emergency tents for patients," he added.

According to him, the Banjarmasin City Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) has a tent that can accommodate up to about 40 beds.

He explained that if the hospitals and health service tents were also full, the agency would function the puskesmas as a place for inpatients for COVID-19 patients.

"So this is the last option for now. But now all hospitals in Banjarmasin City, both owned by the provincial government and private, have prepared rooms for COVID-19 patients, even (up to) an average of 50 percent of the patient beds that owned," he said.

Machli said that nine hospitals in Banjarmasin City had prepared more than 600 beds to treat COVID-19 patients.

"Currently it is still sufficient, but we must also be prepared if there is an unwanted spike," he said.

According to data from the South Kalimantan Provincial Health Office, the number of residents affected by COVID-19 in Banjarmasin City on Monday increased by 36 people with an accumulation of 11,569 people. The number of patients who have recovered as many as 9,634 people and patients who died as many as 225 people.