THE construction of the new Sri Aman Hospital is scheduled to begin in middle next year and expected to be completed in 2018.
Local Government and Community Development Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, when delivering his winding up speech at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting here yesterday, said budget for the Phase 2 construction has been approved by the Ministry of Health.
The construction would consist of the hospital proper plus two units of Class-D, eight units of Class-F and eight units of Class-G quarters.
“Phase 1 involving earth work costing RM11.5 million has already been completed. My Ministry has checked with the JKR (Public Works Department) and the department has informed us that they have forwarded the recommendation for Certification for Work Completion to the Ministry of Health on Nov 29, 2013,” Wong continued.
In response to Chong Chieng Jen (DAP-Kota Sentosa) who enquired why it took a whole year before the project could commence and what was the cause for the delay, Wong said it took time for the soil to settle.
He explained that the previous tender had to be recalled because the tender price exceeded the budget and the project had to be scaled down and the new tender closed this month.
Wong thanked Chong who is also Bandar Kuching MP for bringing the Sri Aman Hospital issue in Parliament last month.
In response to Alan Ling Sie Kiong (DAP-Piasau) who raised issues pertaining to the facilities and much needed extension plan for the Miri Hospital, Wong said the government was aware of the hospital’s condition.
He hoped that Chong could also raise the matter with the Federal Ministry of Health in Parliament.
“In the meantime, we will try our best to see what can be done to improve the facilities of Miri Hospital,” he continued.
Wong also said the multi-storey car park project at the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) is still at the stage of preparing documents and drawings. The project is expected to start early next year.
Touching on the progress of the Petra Jaya Hospital, Wong said the progress was only at 10.23 per cent as of October compared to the scheduled 16.07 per cent. For the Lawas Hospital, he reported that the decanting process of Phase 1 had been completed and Phase 2A was now in progress.
Wong also mentioned that under the 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP), a total of 40 projects worth RM561,413,047 had been approved.
As of Oct 31, RM5.6 million had been allocated to the state Health Department to restore and upgrade health care facilities as well as staff quarters throughout the state.
“Sarawak Health Department will continue to strengthen its services through its elaborate Medical Care Programme, Public Health Programme, Oral Health Programme and Pharmaceutical services through its networks of 22 hospitals, 262 health facilities (202 health clinics, 26 maternal and child health clinics, seven rural clinics and 27 1Malaysia clinics), flying doctor services and mobile health teams (including two 1Malaysia mobile boat clinic at Sg Baram and Sg Rejang),” he said.
Wong said that to date the state had 1,689 medical professionals in government services including 248 specialists, 942 medical officers and 499 officers under training (housemen).