SIBU: The Health Ministry has increased the allocation for Sibu Hospital under the 10th Malaysia Plan from RM10mil to RM15mil so that the hospital could be developed and equipped to be a regional hospital, providing comprehensive medical services.

The hospital currently covers Kapit, Mukah, Sarikei divisions and Saratok district.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam told reporters after making a working visit to the hospital yesterday said with the increased allocation, the hospital would be provided with better facilities.

“The Government had under the 10th Malaysia Plan approved RM10mil to upgrade CDR (chemo drug reconstituition) and non CDR facilities, including closed circuit surveillance facilty. Today (yesterday) I have announced another RM5mil to increase facilities, including adding more ventilating machines, upgrading of facilities in the X-ray unit and other facilities which the director of the hospital will prepare a list for us to go through.”

The minister also said that a pathologist would be stationed at the hospital for the first time.

“Without a pathologist, several diagnosis could not be done speedily. Late diagnosis will cause implications to the hospital and the socioeconomic of the patient’s family,” he added.

He said a pathologist was of top priority now as a pathology centre had just been built at the hospital.

Asked when the pathologist would start work, he said between two and three months’ time from now.

Also completed under the 10th Malaysia Plan were psychiatric wards, infectious disease wards and the upgrading of ICU while construction of clean room facilities are in progress. In terms of services, Sibu Hospital already has 13 speciality disciplines.

Subspeciality disciplines added recently are neurosurgery and rheumatology.

Dr Subramaniam said additional services needed to complement the existing services were nephrology, urology, respiratory and oncology.

He was confident that these services would be provided by 2020.

“The present services will also be upgraded, in particular intensive care services, surgical related services and diagnostic services. Continued quality improvement in service delivery has always been the objective of the ministry.

“Some of the very much-needed equipment that will be approved are neurosurgical instruments, orthopaedic instruments, chronic renal replacement machines, maternity operation room equipment, TB diagnostic equipment (DNA study), higher end microscopes. For radiology service, we will also address the urgent upgrading required,” he said.

Source: The Star