| Rokiah Mahmud |
THE Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPAS) Hospital saw a surge in patients seeking minor treatment at its Outpatient Department on Monday night.
A medical officer at the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Department said the reason for the sudden increase may be due to many of the patients being unaware that the same medical services are also provided at the newly-opened Berakas Health Centre at RPN Lambak Kanan.
She said that some members of the public might also not be aware that the Bandar Seri Begawan (BSB) Health Centre located in Ong Sum Ping is no longer operating after-office hours as its after-office hours services are now provided at the Berakas Health Centre.
The medical officer said on Monday night, the department received 442 patients, of whom 343 were categorised under the green-coded triage that refers to mostly minor treatment.
In comparison on Monday last week the department received 371 patients, of whom 263 patients were categorised under green-coded triage.
“On Monday, we received an unusually high volume of patients. As result, the waiting time for patients to see doctors was longer than usual,” the medical officer said.
Photo shows a nurse taking a patient’s blood pressure readings. – BAHYIAH BAKIR
“Therefore, we would like to inform the public that as the BSB Health Centre no longer operates beyond office hours, the public can go to Berakas Health Centre as the Berakas Health Centre provides the same medical services.”
She said the under the triage system, red code refers to patients that need immediate medical treatment usually involving major treatment; yellow code refers to the stabilised patients who need more medical attention and are sent to trolley area for follow-up; and green code refers to the patients requiring minor medical treatment such as for a runny nose, cough and food poisoning.
The medical officer said that the Berakas Health Centre is open from 7am until 9pm from Monday to Thursday and Saturday. On Friday and Sunday, including public holidays, the centre is open from 2pm until 9pm.
She said that most of the patients who came in for treatment at RIPAS Hospital last Monday had symptoms of runny nose, cough, skin rash and food poisoning. Therefore, the best to manage this kind of sickness are the general practitioners (doctors) at the Outpatient Department at respective health centres, she added.
Even though RIPAS Hospital received almost a big increase in patients last Monday, it did not affect the red and yellow-coded areas, she said.
The Berakas Health Centre that was opened on Monday provides core services including primary care services such as an outpatient clinic, chronic disease clinic and a flu clinic, other facilities at the centre include mother and children health services, dental services, pharmaceutical services and special services such as rehabilitation services, psychiatric services, healthy lifestyle clinic and paramedical services.
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