COVID-19 patient in Maungdaw held in hospital custody after trying to flee

By Kyaw Myo Aung 04 Sep 2020

Kyaw Myo Aung | DMG
4 September, Maungdaw

A coronavirus-positive patient who attempted to flee Maungdaw Hospital was captured and is being held in detention at the hospital in northern Arakan State, Maungdaw District Deputy Commissioner U Soe Aung said.

The COVID-19 patient tried to escape from Maungdaw Hospital on the morning of September 3 but was reportedly apprehended at 3rd-Mile village not long after he went missing.

“He is said to be a person with mental illness. He went to 3rd-Mile village on foot and a person who had close contact with him is being quarantined. The patient is currently held in hospital custody and I gave an instruction to hospital officials to tighten security,” U Soe Aung said.

U Tun Hla Sein, an Arakan State lawmaker for Maungdaw Township, said the government should make arrangements such as entertainment programming for virus patients to relieve stress and anxieties that they may feel while hospitalised.

“I think officials from the Department of Public Health are fully responsible for the virus patients. They can ask for help from the police if there are inadequate security members at the hospital. Officials should arrange a television room for the patients to get rid of their mental sufferings,” the lawmaker suggested.

A coronavirus-positive patient receiving treatment at Maungdaw Hospital said: “I have been here for six days. We are provided with food but there is no television for the patients. I think patients’ rooms should be equipped with televisions as entertainment for the psyche.”

DMG attempted to contact the medical superintendent of Maungdaw Hospital for comment on the virus patient’s attempt to flee the hospital, but he could not be reached.