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Thammasat University Converts Dorms Into Thailand’s First COVID-19 Field Hospital

New hospital for COVID-19 patients in Bangkok


First Field Hospital
Images adapted from: Bangkok Post, psm

With the number of COVID-19 cases in Thailand now surpassing 800, the country is taking extra measures in ensuring patients are properly cared for. Besides ensuring citizens that new hospital beds will be provided, selected university hospitals have come up with the idea to transform the schools’ dormitories into field hospitals for infected and recovering patients.

https://thesmartlocal.com/thailand/new-hospital-beds/


First COVID-19 field Hospital in Thailand


In collaboration with 5 teaching hospitals including Siriraj, Ramathibodi, Chulalongkorn, Vajira and Thammasat, the project was launched to alleviate the congestion issues at Bangkok’s hospitals after the number of COVID-19 cases in Thailand significantly started rising due to the increase in cluster cases.

First Field Hospital
Image credit: psm

On 25th March 2020, Thammasat University Hospital will open the first COVID-19 field hospital for patients with non-critical symptoms at Thammasat University’s Rangsit Campus. 

By doing so, Prof. Suraphol Nitikraipot, chairman of the executive board at Thammasat University Hospital, said the school’s Dluxx Dormitory has been already transformed into a facility with 308 beds.

First Field Hospital
The rooms in the building
Image credit: Bangkok Post

Each room is already equipped with AC and a bathroom, and there are also CCTVs on every level, said Assoc Prof Gasinee Witoonchart, rector of Thammasat University.


The facility is for non-critical patients for now


However, Asst Prof Parinya Thewanaruemitkul, vice rector of Thammasat University, mentioned that this newest field hospital would only serve non-critical patients who had been hospitalized and transferred from the other 4 hospitals. This is to ease the stress on hospitals with not enough ICUs and equipment to help patients with critical symptoms.

The first 10 patients have already been transferred from Ramathibodi Hospital to Thammasat University Hospital on 23rd March 2020, and they will later be transferred to the field hospital as soon as it opens on Wednesday.

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