Page 93 - MALAYSIA HEALTH SECTOR RESPONSE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC: PERSPECTIVES FROM THE FIELD

This centre utilised the existing buildings within the prison (previously
functioning as working spaces for the inmates for activities such as
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carpentry) and converted these into temporary wards with 207 beds .
Unlike PKRC Pokok Sena Prison, the MTC was one of its kind, allocated for
positive cases amongst inmates at any of the prisons in the state, with the
capability to treat COVID-19 cases in clinical category 1 - 4. This makeshift
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centre was equipped not only with its infrastructure, but the ATM also
provided all medical and non-medical assets. A military medical team was
also mobilised to manage the MTC. The facility included a special
observation bay equipped with patient monitoring devices, oxygen support,
and other necessary emergency equipment. Apart from the observation bay,
there were also operation rooms, donning and doffing facilities, treatment
rooms, staging tents as well as facilities to carry out basic radiological and
laboratory investigations, and also a resuscitation room in the event of
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emergency . Similar MTC was also established in Kepayan Prison in Sabah
with 150 bed capacity with the help of ATM.
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Implementation of TEMCO/EMCO in prison/ temporary detention centre
areas and staff quarters

Following the sharp spike in COVID-19 cases involving the inmates in prison
or temporary detention centres in Malaysia, the Malaysian government has
prompted the implementation of EMCO or TEMCO covering the prison/
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temporary detention centre areas and staff quarters . The EMCO/TEMCO
aimed to halt the COVID-19 spread among the detainees and staff, and to
execute targeted screening on all detainees and staff. Such measure was
necessary to prevent the disease from spreading to nearby communities.
During the EMCO/TEMCO period, movements into and out of the prison
facilities, including family visits, were not allowed. EMCO/TEMCO would be
implemented over a period of 2 weeks and would be extended according to
the situation.

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