Abu Dhabi builds 127-bed hospital in two days for COVID-19 patients
Temporary facility is adjacent to Sheikh Khalifa Medical City
Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi’s premier public hospital, the Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC), has set up a dedicated facility with 127 beds to treat coronavirus patients.
The new facility, which is a temporary structure put up within two days adjacent to SKMC, received its first patient on April 20.
The facility is staffed with 85 nurses and 20 doctors and allied health professionals.
“We are a nation that doesn’t believe in impossible,” said Mohammad Essa Al Mehri, deputy chief financial officer at SKMC and manager of the project.
Despite the tight deadline, Dr Maha Al Ameri, SKMC’s operations director, insisted on carrying out a full-building fire drill to assure the safety of staff and patients.
“We have discussed all possible scenarios, and planned accordingly to assure everyone’s safety,” said Dr Al Ameri
The 127 single rooms include 12 family rooms to enable family members to stay together. All rooms are equipped with video calling systems to enable visual communication with caregivers.
The SKMC is one of the main public hospitals in the capital treating patients with COVID-19, including severe cases.
Last week, it celebrated the release of the youngest patient with COVID-19 to be admitted to the UAE – a nine-year-old Filipino boy who celebrated his birthday while at the hospital’s ICU.