PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry has announced 10 new projects worth RM1.09 billion under the healthcare national key economic area (NKEA) today.

Its minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said these projects would have a gross national income (GNI) impact of RM673.9 million.

He added they would also create 1,219 jobs by 2020.

The 10 projects cover primarily two entry point project clusters under the healthcare NKEA namely in Malaysian pharmaceuticals and renal products.

He also said a minimum standard would be set for all old folks homes that provide medical and nursing care facility under the Aged Healthcare Bill.

"The ministry is presently drafting the Aged Healthcare Bill to develop and improve regulations for the aged care industry.

"This bill will be tabled in Parliament by the year end 2014," he added.

On the collapsed ceiling incidents at Serdang Hospital, Dr Subramaniam said the daily inspection by the hospital and the ministry's engineering division would go on until he satisfied with the rectification works.

"If there is any element of danger,  the (said) ceilings will be removed immediately to ensure no new ceilings will collapse," he said.

He did not discount the possibility of taking action against the hospital's contractor as what the provision of the laws would allow.

"Whether they are libel, we have to base on our findings."

source:MJNnews