40,000 to benefit from new hospital

0

Better medical facilities, care for people in Lawas in three years’ time

LAWAS: Over 40,000 residents in Lawas District stand to benefit from the proposed new RM228 million district hospital scheduled for completion in 2019.

Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahya said the contractor had been approved for the project located near the current hospital.

“The new hospital equipped with modern facilities will have 76 beds, thus reducing congestion when completed in 2019,” he told reporters yesterday after visiting various clinics and hospitals in Limbang Division since Friday.

Dr Hilmi said work on the new Lawas Hospital would start this year, after prolonged delay caused by many factors.

“The construction of the new hospital is among the testimonies of the government’s commitment and concern for the welfare of the people,” he said.

Dr Hilmi added that various other health clinics (KK) of various grades have been approved in Limbang under the 10th Malaysia Plan (MP) including Grade 6 KK at Long Napir costing RM3 million and the RM23 million Grade 3 KK at Banting.

“Many more health projects have been approved under the second rolling plan of the 11th MP.

“For Limbang among them were RM1.5 million for upgrading Limbang Hospital, RM160,000 for haemodialysis unit and RM130,000 for Reverse Osmosis Unit,” he said.

Others included RM10 million Grade 6 KK Nanga Medamit, RM10 million Grade 7 KK Long Sukang and upgrading facilities at KK Sundar Lawas.

On a specialist hospital for Limbang District, Dr Hilmi said there was no plan yet due to various factors including difficulty in retaining specialists at government hospitals so patients in Limbang Division needing specialist treatment have to be referred to Miri and Kota Kinabalu Hospitals.