Patients at the oncology center in the Almaty region are being treated and examined in shipping containers. The medical facility says this is a temporary measure, reports infohub.kz.
One hospital visitor, who introduced herself as Aiman, posted a complaint on social media about the conditions. She was outraged that patients are received in stuffy container rooms. "For cancer patients undergoing heavy treatment, such conditions are especially hard to bear. Even I, a healthy person, felt unwell in these conditions," the woman said.
She also reported that the electronic queue system is not working, and patients have to sign up on a paper list. Journalists found that three containers have indeed been installed on the hospital grounds, where patients receive IV drips. However, some patients do not see a problem with these conditions. "The containers are nothing. The main thing is that there are doctors and nurses—they do everything. They receive us properly, but this is really nothing. It doesn't matter whether it's a container or service. The most important thing is treatment," said patient Gulvira Sadykova.
The regional multidisciplinary clinic commented on the situation, stating that the containers are a temporary measure until a new building is constructed. The decision to receive patients in containers was made due to an increased patient flow: over the past four years, the number has tripled. The design of the new clinic began in 2022.
"Oncology has its specifics: the equipment is high-tech, expensive, and involves radiation therapy, and there are peculiarities in the design and estimate documentation. At this stage, the project is undergoing expert review. Given the seismic zone, it is being prepared more thoroughly for the safety of both staff and patients," explained Sayakhat Olzhaev, director of the Almaty Regional Multidisciplinary Clinic.
It is reported that patients will have to be treated in containers for a long time. The expert review of the new building is planned to be completed in October. The construction start dates are not yet known, the clinic administration added.