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Patients reel under heat after AC fails in hospital

According to Dr Saleha Bithiban, Director of Al Amal Psychiatric Hospital located in Jumeirah, the AC is undergoing periodic maintenance and repairing works after it failed to work since Thursday last week. "It is expected to be repaired within 48 hours," she added.

She, however, conceded that at least one patient had been taken home yesterday after the family thought that the heat was unbearable. "The patient has been sent on leave and not discharged, since the family thought it was too hot," she explained.

However, the patients, who did not wish to be named, complained that the heat was unbearable and the correctional steps were not being taken fast enough. Dr Saleha, on the other hand, said, "It is a manageable situation, and we have taken care of the patients and provided them with fans. Though some patients are ready to deal with the matter, others are not."

She added that the issue was being blown out of proportion.

"The AC requires maintenance and we have a back-up system," she said.

Dr Saleha noted that patients were being made comfortable and were being moved to cooler areas of the hospital. "The staff is also cooperating and handling the situation to its best," she pointed out.

According to Dr Saleha, the hospital's current occupancy rate is 95 per cent. "We have a 80-bed capacity, out of which 76 beds are occupied. Until yesterday, we got two more admissions."

She explained that the hospital is home to patients who have been housed there for the past 35 years since the hospital was established in the 1970s. "We need a 'mid-way home' for patients who have no homes and do not require treatment but rehabilitation," she noted.

Housed in a building that is at least 35 years old, Al Amal Hospital is catering to patients double the capacity it can handle.

The MoH had planned renovation of the hospital in 2005, but no funds were released since a new building worth Dh600 million for the hospital is under construction.

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