The director of Bangkok’s Mongkut Wattana Hospital has issued a stern warning to those who attempt to jump the admissions queue by dumping COVID-19 infected people at the hospital without advance coordination, in hope of being admitted, saying he means business and will not tolerate such a practice.
In the wake of the surge in patients needing admission for medical treatment and the acute shortage of hospital beds, Maj-Gen Rianthong Nanna explained in his Facebook post today about the need to enforce order in the management of hospital beds and to prioritise of patients, to prevent chaos over hospital beds among the sick and their relatives.
He said that, if the Mongkut Wattana Hospital, and its affiliated Palang Paendin field hospital, have to admit all COVID-19 patients, including those who arrive at the hospitals without advance notification or arrangement demanding immediate admission, it would be very unfair to other patients who are on the waiting list.
“Every relative of a patient claims their case is urgent. Chaos will ensue and this is a form of selfishness which I will not accept,” said Dr. Rianthong, adding “I have to be decisive and may show no mercy under such circumstances, which is akin to a public disaster.”
He also threatened to take legal action against those who dump the sick patients at his general and field hospitals, adding “do not try me during this public disaster. I am reasonable for managing the public disaster. There are losses in a public disaster, like losses in a war. This must be acceptable. We cannot save every life, but we must try our best with reason,” he said.
