Second hospital for Miri proposed

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(From front third left) are Dr Sim, Lee, Dr Chen, Ting and Dr Wong are seen during a visit to the Miri Dialysis Centre in Krokop. Dr Zulkifli is at fourth right.

(From front third left) are Dr Sim, Lee, Dr Chen, Ting and Dr Wong are seen during a visit to the Miri Dialysis Centre in Krokop. Dr Zulkifli is at fourth right.

MIRI: A second hospital has been proposed for Miri to cater to the needs of its over 200,000 population.

Assistant Minister of Communication Datuk Lee Kim Shin suggested the second hospital be implemented under the mid-term review to Ministry of Health secretary general Dr Chen Chaw Min during the latter’s visit to Miri Hospital recently.

“Miri is the capital of Miri District of Miri Division. Besides, it is the centre of oil and gas industries, hence the need to have a second hospital,” Lee said.

He said the second hospital is necessary so that patients need not be referred to the Sarawak General Hospital in Kuching.

“Regrettably, during some occasions, some patients died upon arrival in Kuching, while some were not in a stable condition, thus had to be given cardiopulmonary resuscitation during the flight,” he said, adding a location for the proposed hospital had yet to be worked out.

Lee also suggested Miri Hospital be upgraded into a regional hospital.

“Why not upgrade Miri Hospital into a regional hospital equipped with all the relevant facilities. This would also reduce the cost of sending the patients by helicopter,” he said.

Once upgraded, he explained Miri Hospital could cover the needs of patients in northern Sarawak.

Among those present were Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) president Senator Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian, state health director Datuk Dr Zulkifli Jantan, Miri Hospital director Dr Jack Wong and SUPP secretary general Datuk Sebastian Ting.