The planned building for the Health Bureau’s division for treatment of infectious diseases will include several effective infection prevention and control measures to safeguard the health and safety of those living in the vicinity. The Government plans to construct the new building close to the Conde S. Januário Hospital, the city’s main public medical facility. This will allow the Government to act promptly and effectively in case of an outbreak of an infectious disease, and would help to prevent further spread or recurrence, according to the Health Bureau. The decision on the location of the new building was made after a comprehensive consideration of several factors. Given that most infectious disease cases in Macao are reported to the Conde S. Januário Hospital, the risk to public health would be lower if the infected patients were to be transferred to a medical facility nearby for treatment, minimising the risk of exposure to the public, stated the Bureau. In addition, treatment of infected patients also requires support from medical specialist teams from the Hospital. The Government fully understands the concerns expressed by residents on the issue. However, having a division for the treatment of infectious diseases close to major medical facilities, instead of in remote areas, is a widely accepted practice internationally. Macao needs a specialised facility to effectively treat infectious diseases as the world grapples with increasing outbreaks of such diseases. Such facility would be a first line of defence against infectious diseases in Macao. The lack of appropriate facilities to treat those suffering from Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) in the Republic of Korea is believed to have been one of the factors leading to a large MERS outbreak in that Asian country last year. The Government started planning for the construction of a building for the treatment of infectious diseases shortly after the outbreaks of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in neighbouring regions in 2003. In 2008, the Government revised the building’s design to meet new regulations on the protection of cultural heritage. The updated design included lowering the building height to reduce its visual impact on two nearby historical buildings. The planned building for the treatment of infectious diseases will have an area of 5,565 square metres. The 12-storey building will include 120 wards specially equipped for infection control and treatment of patients, and a number of world-class medical facilities.
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