Due to the corona pandemic and the pressure on care locations, Rotterdam is working on expanding its care capacity. This is not only happening at hospitals and nursing homes but also external locations such as Rotterdam Ahoy. 184 beds have recently been set up at the event location.
Relieving the hospitals
The facilities are available for patients who need care but don’t need to be at the hospital, such as elderly people who cannot be cared for at home. Arnaud Hordijk, project manager at Rotterdam Ahoy: ‘It could be people with corona, but also other patients. For example, someone who has appendicitis has to undergo surgery at the hospital but can recover from the procedure here. This provides hospitals with much-needed relief.’
Quick conversion
Although Rotterdam Ahoy is normally an event location, the space is also suitable as a care location. Arnaud Hordijk: ‘We have facilities such as electricity and the supply and discharge of water, and we’re used to quickly changing the spaces to suit different purposes. The booths we constructed for the care location, the infirmaries, are the ones we also put up for the Ahoy Christmas Circus. Then they serve as dressing rooms.’
Hospital protocols
The organisation also ran into challenges in realising the care facilities, of course. Arnaud Hordijk: ‘We are not a hospital and now had to deal with other protocols. For example, we worked with clean zones and construction zones, which are, of course, very important for a place which will soon house patients.’
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Text by: Renee Schouwenburg
Photo credits: Iris van den Broek
