Corporation says select vessels could be used to ease the mounting pressure on land-based healthcare facilities
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Carnival Corporation has offered for governments and healthcare authorities to use select cruise ships from its Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and P&O Cruises Australia brands as temporary hospitals for non-Covid-19 patients.
The corporation hopes to help governments relieve the growing pressure on land-based healthcare facilities, which is being exerted by the continued spread of the Covid-19 virus across the world.
According to Carnival Corporation, its cruise ships can be quickly provisioned to serve as hospitals with up to 1,000 rooms where healthcare professionals can treat patients suffering from less critical conditions. The ships’ high-speed networks would also make it possible to install and connect remote patient monitoring devices to provide cardiac, respiratory, oxygen saturation and video monitoring capabilities. The rooms also have bathroom facilities, private balconies and can be isolated if necessary.
In addition, the ships could provide up to seven intensive care units equipped with central cardiac monitoring, ventilators and other key medical devices in their onboard medical centres.
The temporary hospital cruise ships would be berthed at a pier near the community in need, with all maritime operations, food and beverage, and cleaning services provided by crew members. Medical services would be provided by the government entity or hospital responsible for fighting the spread of Covid-19 within that community. Interested parties will be asked to cover only the essential costs of the ship's operations while in port.