The Phaunggyi COVID-19 treatment centre in Hlegu Township, Yangon Region will be extended to a 1,200-bed facility, as the centre now has over 700 patients, according to the Myanmar Construction Entrepreneurs Federation (MCEF) that is serving as the developer and contributor of many extension projects.
The extension of the Phaunggyi COVID-19 treatment centre, with an initial accommodation capacity of 580 patients, started on 1 September this year because of the rise in the number of positive cases in many townships of Yangon Region.
“Initially, the Phaunggyi COVID-19 treatment centre is a 580-bed facility. Now, we placed 116 patients at the extended Mandala Ward on 10 this month, and 100 patients at another extended Myintmo Ward the next day. Now, we are in progress in erecting the 104-bed Yamanya Ward, and later we will erect Padauk and Gangaw wards, each with a 160 accommodation capacity. We will treat 160 patients at the Padauk Ward on 15 this month and another 160 at Gangaw Ward on the next day. After the completion of the whole extension project, the centre will be treating 1,220 confirmed cases, said U Myo Myint, general secretary of the MCEF.
Later, the centre will treat only the critical coronavirus cases and secondary critical coronavirus cases. Although the centre is under ward extension program to cope with the growing number of infected persons, it may face shortage of doctors, nurses, medics and volunteers in the long-run. So, preparations are underway to treat the asymptomatic positive cases at the quarantine centres. But till now, the Phaunggyi COVID-19 treatment centre is accepting and treating patients as it still have the capability and capacity for the job.
Phaunggyi COVID-19 treatment centre has patient monitoring CCTV cameras, and enabled patients to contact their families through the wifi. All the rooms and the whole facility have adequate water and electricity supply. Earlier, the centre provides air-condition for every room, but later the all-room-air-conditioned program was abandoned due to the sharp rise in the number of confirmed cases. But, the relevant officials are trying to facilitate the remaining rooms with air-conditions.
The Myanmar Construction Entrepreneurs Federation served as the main contractor in turning the Central Institute Civil Service (CICS-Phaunggyi) at Phaunggyi Village, Hlegu Township, Yangon Region into a coronavirus treatment centre. The MCEF contributed Ks-1 billion in renovating the CICS into a hospital, and started the work on 2 April this year. The federation turned it into a facility housing four intensive care units, five patient wards, one CT scan room, one administration room, three hostels for doctors and medical staff, and transferred it to Yangon Region government on 30 June, according to the federation.
Wun Yan Kha