Existing hospital enough for Sandakan, says Health Minister
SANDAKAN: Despite repeated calls for a new hospital to address overcrowding at the only hospital in Sandakan, the Health Minister says there is no need for one here.
Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the existing Hospital Duchess of Kent, with a planned new block of about 594 beds, would be sufficient to meet the district's healthcare needs and ease congestion.
Dzulkefly praised the hospital for adopting innovative measures, including moving minor surgeries and some specialist services to health clinics, to reduce the patient load on existing facilities.
'We already have plans to build a new block. We do not want to have hospitals without specialists. We want to develop facilities that can truly deliver specialist care.
'Rather than building small hospitals, we want to strengthen existing ones by increasing specialist capacity, while relocating certain services to health clinics to manage congestion,' he told reporters during his working visit to Hospital Duchess of Kent on Tuesday (Aug 12).
Also present were Sandakan MP Vivian Wong Shir Yee and Hospital Duchess of Kent director Dr Mohd Fahmie Othman.
His comments came in response to repeated calls by Libaran MP Datuk Suhaimi Nasir for a new hospital in the constituency.
Suhaimi, on several occasions, has urged the government to expedite construction of the long-delayed Rancangan Sungai Manila Hospital.
Several elected reps here had urged for better healthcare service in Sandakan, saying Hospital Duchess of Kent is operating beyond its intended capacity.
They stressed that the hospital is struggling to cope not only with Sandakan's population but also with patients from other districts such as Beluran, Telupid and Kinabatangan.
Sandakan also does not have a private hospital, which makes the situation even more challenging.
Dzulkefly said his visit to six districts in Sabah, covering 22 health facilities, showed that shifting some services to health clinics was a good approach to easing congestion at main hospitals.
'That is why we must strengthen all health clinics. From a policy perspective, we aim to build stronger facilities and consolidate them where possible,' he said.
He also announced an allocation of RM1.055mil for minor works at Hospital Duchess of Kent, including upgrades to operating theatres, medical and non-medical assets to improve patient comfort.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
MOH boosts staff and upgrades Lahad Datu Hospital for better healthcare
LAHAD DATU: The Ministry of Health (MOH) will increase manpower and conduct urgent infrastructure repairs at Lahad Datu Hospital to improve service delivery and patient safety. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad stated that the hospital, classified as a minor specialist facility with 13 areas of expertise, needs additional staff to meet operational demands. 'We have identified 13 medical officers for the first phase of deployment, with seven more to follow in the second phase,' he told reporters during a working visit. Dr Dzulkefly highlighted critical upgrades, including overdue repairs to the Labour Ward, scheduled under Rolling Plan 1 of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP). 'I have personally observed structural cracks in the Labour Ward that have persisted for years. This is a safety issue that cannot be compromised,' he said. He added that outdated facilities will also be refurbished as a priority. The visit is part of his three-day inspection tour of 22 healthcare facilities across six districts in Sabah, ending tomorrow. - Bernama
Free Malaysia Today
6 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
307 medical officers to be stationed in Sabah
Health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad meeting patients during his visit to Klinik Desa Karamunting in Sabah today. (Facebook pic) PETALING JAYA : A total of 307 permanent medical officers will be stationed at healthcare facilities throughout Sabah under the first phase of the e-Placement initiative to strengthen services and reduce the existing workload. Health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said 10 of these officers will serve at the Duchess of Kent Hospital in Sandakan, which is the main referral hospital for the east coast of Sabah, covering not just Sandakan but also Kinabatangan, Beluran, Telupid and Tongod, Bernama reported. 'This hospital offers 19 in-house specialties and is the heart of health services in these five districts. With 414 beds, it faces a high workload covering outpatient treatment, surgery, emergency cases and maternity services. 'The arrival of the new staff will help improve the quality of service for the public,' he said in a Facebook post about his three-day working visit to Sabah today. He said the ministry had approved an allocation of RM1.05 million to carry out minor works and improvements at the hospital. The funds will meet the needs of the surgical ward and help in the purchase of more chairs for patients in waiting areas, mattresses and pillows. He took note of the need for further facility upgrades, such as the construction of a new block, the temporary relocation of old, at-risk wards, and the addition of a large-capacity water tank. The minister later reviewed the operations at Kinabatangan Hospital, including the maternal and child health clinic as well as the dental clinic. He inaugurated the new building of the Ulu Dusun health clinic (KK) in Sandakan and reviewed the progress of the reconstruction of KK Bukit Garam in Kinabatangan under the 12th Malaysia Plan's dilapidated clinic project. The upgrading work for KK Ulu Dusun, valued at RM600,000, has been completed and the clinic is operational while reconstruction of KK Bukit Garam, valued at RM1 million, is ongoing and includes the construction of a new building, complete with basic and support facilities. Dzulkefly is expected to visit 22 health facilities across six districts in Sabah. He wants the services at health clinics to be strengthened to reduce overcrowding at major hospitals. This will be done by moving minor surgeries to health clinics with the involvement of specialists.
The Star
7 hours ago
- The Star
Existing hospital enough for Sandakan, says Health Minister
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad speaking to reporters during his working visit to the Duchess of Kent Hospital in Sandakan. SANDAKAN: Despite repeated calls for a new hospital to address overcrowding at the only hospital in Sandakan, the Health Minister says there is no need for one here. Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the existing Hospital Duchess of Kent, with a planned new block of about 594 beds, would be sufficient to meet the district's healthcare needs and ease congestion. Dzulkefly praised the hospital for adopting innovative measures, including moving minor surgeries and some specialist services to health clinics, to reduce the patient load on existing facilities. 'We already have plans to build a new block. We do not want to have hospitals without specialists. We want to develop facilities that can truly deliver specialist care. 'Rather than building small hospitals, we want to strengthen existing ones by increasing specialist capacity, while relocating certain services to health clinics to manage congestion,' he told reporters during his working visit to Hospital Duchess of Kent on Tuesday (Aug 12). Also present were Sandakan MP Vivian Wong Shir Yee and Hospital Duchess of Kent director Dr Mohd Fahmie Othman. His comments came in response to repeated calls by Libaran MP Datuk Suhaimi Nasir for a new hospital in the constituency. Suhaimi, on several occasions, has urged the government to expedite construction of the long-delayed Rancangan Sungai Manila Hospital. Several elected reps here had urged for better healthcare service in Sandakan, saying Hospital Duchess of Kent is operating beyond its intended capacity. They stressed that the hospital is struggling to cope not only with Sandakan's population but also with patients from other districts such as Beluran, Telupid and Kinabatangan. Sandakan also does not have a private hospital, which makes the situation even more challenging. Dzulkefly said his visit to six districts in Sabah, covering 22 health facilities, showed that shifting some services to health clinics was a good approach to easing congestion at main hospitals. 'That is why we must strengthen all health clinics. From a policy perspective, we aim to build stronger facilities and consolidate them where possible,' he said. He also announced an allocation of RM1.055mil for minor works at Hospital Duchess of Kent, including upgrades to operating theatres, medical and non-medical assets to improve patient comfort.
