KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry has received approval to build 11 hospitals, including three in Sarawak, this year.

Its deputy minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya said the hospitals included the Parit Buntar Hospital (in Perak), Shah Alam Hospital (Selangor), Tampin Hospital (replacement) and Rembau Hospital in Negeri Sembilan, and Bera Hospital and Rompin Hospital (Pahang).

The others are the Kuala Krai Hospital and Bachok Hospital in Kelantan besides Lawas Hospital, Petra Jaya Hospital and Sri Aman Hospital in Sarawak.

“Out of 140 hospitals throughout the country, 14 including Kuala Lumpur Hospital are categorised at state hospitals, 26 each as major and minor specialist hospitals, 66 as non-specialist hospitals and eight as special medical institutions.”

Dr Hilmi said this in the Dewan Negara yesterday in reply to Senator Datuk Abdul Rahman Bakar who wanted to know the number of district hospitals in the country, the number to be built this year and when one would be built in the Marang district, Terengganu.

“The ministry finds there is no urgent need to build a new hospital in Marang. This is because treatment of patients from the district can be covered by Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital, Kuala Terengganu, which is about 20km from Marang town.

“The health statistics of the district’s current residents also show no cost-effectiveness justification for a new hospital be built for the Marang district,” said Dr Hilmi.

However, he added, the construction of a health clinic for the district at a cost of RM25 million was expected to start in 2014.

To a supplementary question, he said the ministry aimed to reduce the doctor-population ratio to 1:400 by 2020 from 1:700 now. — Bernama

Source: Borneo Post Online