Defunct AC system keeps Dubai patients on the move

Dubai: The air conditioning system at a psychiatric hospital ran out of coolant almost two weeks ago, causing patients to be shifted from ward to ward to flee the heat.

Al Amal Hospital, under the Ministry of Health, has received 11 split air conditioning units and five mobile units to cool patients down while work continues to restore the central air conditioning system.

However, the units are not enough to cool the entire hospital.
"Filling the coolant is not fully finished yet. We have to move patients to other wards that are cooler [in the meantime]," said Dr. Saleha Thibian, director of the hospital.

The 80-bed hospital houses mentally ill patients as well as drug addicts undergoing treatment.

Dr Ahmad Al Hashimi, CEO of the Dubai Medical District, said they had no choice but to move patients around while they fixed the air conditioning.