KUCHING: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) has proposed to build a teaching hospital for its medicine and health science faculty under the 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP).The chairman of its board of directors Tan Sri Datuk Amar Bujang Mohd Nor said the university had already submitted a proposal to the federal government on this.
“Like many universities such as Universiti Malaya (UM), Unimas also needs a hospital of its own to facilitate students in their learning,” he told a news conference after opening the Unimas Ambulatory Care Centre (ACC) named ‘Pusat Rawatan Harian Unimas’at Green Road here yesterday.
Bujang Nor did not go into details on the proposed hospital other than saying that Unimas was ‘waiting for good news’ from the government.
On the ACC, he pointed out that it was the first and only private ACC in the state offering its services at reasonable and competitive rates.
For now, the centre provides specialised services such as obstetrics and gynaecology, radiology, paediatrics, orthopaedics, minor surgery, family medicine and sports medicine.
In future, it will further expand to offer opthalmology, cardiology, psychiatry, urology and endoscopy.
“This centre is meant for the general public to seek medical care. It is not solely for the staff and students of UNIMAS,” said Bujang, hoping that people around the area would take advantage of the facility.
In his opening speech, he said the Board of Directors had agreed to change the name ‘Pusat Rawatan Harian Unimas’ to Sebayor Medical Centre to avoid confusion.
“Application has been submitted and now waiting for approval from the Ministry of Health,” he said.
He hoped that the centre would fulfill its corporate social responsibility by keeping the medical fees at affordable level besides organising community-based activities such as health checks, blood donation campaigns and health forums from time to time.
The centre should also emphasise on research works to help realise Unimas’ vision of becoming a research university by 2015, he said.
He added that it was vital for the centre to comply with the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Regulations, 2006, to protect the safety and interests of patients.
Earlier, chairman of Sebayor Holdings Sdn Bhd Datu Stephen Wan said the centre was primarily meant for partial private practice for specialist doctors of Unimas’ medicine and health science faculty.
“As Unimas does not have its own teaching hospital, the specialist doctors of the faculty have to practise in the Sarawak General Hospital, polyclinics and other private hospitals to maintain their clinical skills.
“With this centre, Unimas hopes to attract and retain more specialist doctors for the teaching and research requirements of the faculty,” he added.
Stressing that the centre offered quality and affordable outpatient care, Wan said it had three consultation rooms for the visiting specialists, in-house pharmacy, treatment room, radiology services namely ultrasound, mammogram and x-tray, medical laboratory and minor operation theater.
The centre was also meant to generate income for Unimas through the provision of healthcare services to public, he said.
It has a full time medical officer, two staff nurses, a radiographer, a laboratory technologist, a dispenser, five clinic assistants, two housekeeping attendants and three office staff.
Some 20 visiting specialist doctors from various disciplines are serving at the centre.
The centre is open on weekdays from 9am to 9pm and Saturday 9am to 1pm. Its closed on Sundays and public holidays.
For more information, visit the Ground Floor, Lot 3211-3215, Block 10, KCLD Green Road or call 082-222129 or fax no. 082-222117.