Malaysia to build field hospital in Rohingya refugee camp: Report

Malaysia will build a field hospital for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, the Southeast Asian country's deputy prime minister has said after visiting the Kutupalong camp in Cox's Bazar.

Bangladesh has already authorised the 50-bed hospital to be built by the medical corps of the Malaysian Armed Forces, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said at a media briefing on Monday.

Malaysia plans to spend 3.5 million ringgits, or $830,023, to set up the hospital and also provide specialist doctors, nurses and medical assistants.

“The hospital will have 35 medical staff such as doctors, hospital assistants and nurses. It will be fully operational within one month (from the start of construction)," said Hamidi.

"We have obtained the permission of the prime minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina and this permission was given to me and the MAF and Health Ministry by the Bangladesh high commissioner in Kuala Lumpur," he was quoted as saying by the Bernama news agency.

"At the moment, the [Malaysian] government is waiting for the procedure set by the Bangladesh government to allow the construction of the hospital."

The refugee camps in Cox's Bazar were already bursting at the seams while thousands more arrived through the border point at Palongkhali on early Monday, according to Reuters.

More than half a million Rohingyas have crossed the border into Bangladesh to escape a violent crackdown Myanmar's Rakhine state.

Hospitals in Cox's Bazar as well as health centres in the camps have been treating injuries as well as providing basic health services to the Rohingyas, who being a stateless Muslim minority in Myanmar, received limited access to state services. 

Deputy Prime Minister Hamidi began his two-day visit to Bangladesh on Sunday. He has held a meeting with Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali.

He has also met Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Nurul Islam.