80 per cent govt hospitals equipped with special wound care teams

Dr Lee Boon Chye (File pix)

MELAKA, June 26  (Bernama) -- About 80 per cent of the 145 government hospitals nationwide have special teams offering wound care services, said Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye.

He said of the total, 48 of them were government specialist hospitals, thus all the specialist hospitals were now equipped with the special team.

“The special unit comprises specialist doctors and trained nurses who have the expertise to identify the types of injuries and provide the appropriate treatment including plastic surgery, orthopedic, vascular surgery, rehabilitation, and others. 

“We expect the remaining 20 per cent government hospitals to set up the wound care units by 2023 following the shortage of specialist doctors in hospitals for now,” he said at the press conference after the opening of the Fifth National Wound Care Conference at the Melaka International Trade Centre, Air Keroh here, today.

He added the wound care sector should be given attention because it is an essential part of healthcare that can have an impact on the quality of life of patients in terms of reducing the cost of treatment and patient’s ward-stay period.

“Thus, the ministry has provided guidelines and a special team to provide the best quality services to  patients nationwide,” he explained.

The members of the special team needed detailed wound management training as they were not only treating wounds but also ensuring that the intensive treatment given was effective, particularly in patients with diabetes, hypertension and so on.

-- BERNAMA