Flooded Hospital Forced to Evacuate Patients

Bekasi, W Java (Antara) - Tens of patients in a number of hospitals in RA Kartini road, East Bekasi, have been evacuated due to the flood that entered the hospital premises causing power outage. The two hospitals that evacuated their patients are Subki Abdul Kadir Islamic hospital and Bhakti Kartini Hospital located close to each other, a hospital source said on Monday. The condition is worse at the Subki Abdul Kadir Islamic Hospital where the flood water has reached 50-60 centimeters high creating puddles inside the hospital building. The water has been flooding a number of major unit rooms, such as the emergency room, midwives room, patient's reception room, as well as the main class service room. "This began since Sunday, Jan. 12, when torrential rains hit the capital," stated Subki Abdul Kadir Hospital's Medical Records Chief Tika Mariamah, here on Monday. Tika pointed out that the condition in the hospital became even more severe when the power went off until the afternoon of Monday, Jan 13. Some patients were forced by the medical team to evacuate to other hospitals, because the treatment rooms were dark and hot. "A number of patients, including four babies who were being treated in the hot and dark rooms due to the power outage, were evacuated to another hospital nearby," he explained. A similar situation occurred in Bhakti Kartini Hospital, located approximately 100 meters from Subki Abdul Kadir hospital. At least 30 patients from the Bhakti Kartini hospital had to be evacuated to a local general hospital because the flood water level at the hospital was estimated to have reached over 1 meter. However, there has been no official clarification from the Bhakti Kartini hospital about these conditions. (*)