PSU President Asst. Prof. Dr. Niwat Kaewpradub revealed PSU’s response to the steadily increasing number of COVID-19 cases due to the third wave of the epidemic. The university has allocated additional areas for setting up field hospitals to accommodate patients in the five provinces where university campuses are located: Songkhla, Trang, Surat Thani, Phuket and Pattani. PSU’s Hat Yai Campus in Songkhla, in collaboration with the Provincial Administrative Organization, General Prem Tinsulanonda Historical Park, Songkhla Provincial Public Health Office, public and private hospitals the province, have established Songklanagarind COVID Collaboration Camp (SCCC) at the Nursing Center for the Elderly, Songkhla Provincial Administrative Organization and General Prem Tinsulanonda Historical Park Foundation. The facility has been equipped to accommodate COVID-19 patients under the age of 50, presenting no symptoms or mild symptoms, no disease such as respiratory disease, cardiovascular system disease, and diabetes, and able to help themselves in performing daily activities. The facility can accommodate approximately 80-100 patients, and is well-equipped with various systems for the safety of patients and staff, including CCTVs, an infectious waste disposal system, and a water treatment system.
In addition, PSU has opened a field hospital at the 60th Anniversary of His Majesty the King's Accession to the Throne International Convention Center to support the increasing number of COVID-19 infected patients in the region. The facility can accommodate about 700 beds, a sufficient number of medical staff and a CCTV system, along with x-ray and an advanced audio system for remote communication with patients throughout the treatment period.
Phuket Campus has turned the Sports Complex on its campus into a field hospital, with appropiate facilities, equipment and systems installed, along with qualified support by a medical team from Wachira Hospital Phuket. The facility is able to accommodate 150 patients.
Trang Campus, in collaboration with Trang Province and related agencies in the area, has turned its Sports Center into a field hospital to support COVID-19 patients. The facility can accommodate at least 160 patients.
At the same time, Pattani Campus uses Dormitory #7, once a quarantine facility for Thai students from Pakistan until mid-April 2020. Now the closed dormitory’s 70 rooms function as a facility to observe the symptoms of those at risk of COVID-19 infection, while Dormitory #6 has been opened as a quarantine facility for medical staff in close contact with patients at Pattani Hospital.
Surat Thani Campus has opened an account for donations to support the COVID-19 mission of hospitals in Surat Thani province. The campus has also started an initiative enabling people to donate basic supplies such as rice, dry food, drinking water, and necessary items, to be distributed to people in need during the COVID-19 situation.