Mafraq Governmental Hospital has only eight emergency beds; residents demand new hospital

Jordan

Published: 2021-03-15 16:03

Last Updated: 2024-03-28 14:46


Mafraq Governmental Hospital has only eight emergency beds; residents demand new hospital
Mafraq Governmental Hospital has only eight emergency beds; residents demand new hospital

Monday, the Director of the Mafraq Governmental Hospital, Raed Shehab, confirmed to Roya that there are eight beds in the hospital's emergency ward.

He demanded that the hospital be strengthened with specialist kidney, heart, chest, nerve, abdominal, and emergency doctors due to the hospital's lack of it.

Shehab also pointed out that the hospital bed occupancy rate is 42 percent, with no patients on ventilators. Only one patient is suspected of being infected with the coronavirus in the hospital.

Additionally, citizens demanded the concerned authorities to solve the problem of the shortage of medical personnel in the Mafraq Hospital and the lack of services provided to them, pointing out that the hospital building is old and dilapidated. They said that there are no cardiologists, neurologists, or kidneys doctors, in addition to an absence of a modern emergency department or a burn unit in it.

They indicated that the conditions of the hospital force them to resort to hospitals outside the governorate, demanding the construction of a new hospital that meets the needs of the people of Mafraq, just like in other governorates.

Shehab explained that there is currently great pressure on internal medicine doctors, due to the spread of the coronavirus, pointing out that the lack of medical personnel affects the rapid response to patients, especially during night shifts.

In regards to the availability of oxygen, Shehab said that the capacity of the tank in the hospital is 13,000 gallons, and if it reaches 50 percent, it is refilled.

He stressed that gas technicians constantly supervise the oxygen levels, and there are no problems with it. Notably, there are spare cylinders of oxygen with a capacity of six cubic meters which is connected to the main lines inside the hospital. In the event of any emergency, the tank would be reinforced through the spare cylinders, pointing out that the hospital administration demanded backup oxygen due to the increasing demand for it.

The head of the hospital's ambulance and emergency department, Mahmoud Al-Shawaqfa, said that there is a severe shortage of medical and nursing staff, indicating that the existing number is not sufficient for proper medical procedures.

There are only two nurses in the emergency department to treat patients, said Shawaqfa.

Shawaqfa confirmed that the hospital, which was established in 1967, is old and in a state of despair.