KUCHING: The Ministry of Health (MoH) has approved RM300 million for the upgrading of healthcare facilities in Sarawak under the ministry’s development project First Rolling Plan (RP1) next year.
The development projects would include the upgrading of clinics, replacement of existing clinics with new buildings and purchase of medical technology equipment, said its secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Chen Chaw Min.
“The ministry has approved on the acquisition of RM14 million worth of Spect City equipment for cancer treatment.
“We already approved about RM400,000 for Dalat Hospital to replace the collapsed fence.
“We have also approved the project to build a new building for Oya Health Clinic. The existing clinic now is very close to the main road. So, we are identifying a suitable location,” he said at a press conference held in Sarawak Heart Centre here today.
On Spaoh Health Cinic, which was raised by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Dr Chen said the ministry will provide some funding to upgrade the clinic.
“Besides that, we are also looking into proposing a new clinic building to replace the existing clinic.
“We need to secure the land first and hopefully, we can get the funding and start construction in year 2022,” he said.
He added that the budget also includes the 10 units of four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicles for Sarawak Health Department (JKNS).
“The vehicles will be used by our health department officers throughout Sarawak,” he said.
On the acquisition of the new Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technology in Sarawak Heart Centre, Dr Chen said the ministry has agreed to fund the maintenance cost of the technology annually.
“This is a very innovative programme, which is called the ‘replacement through maintenance (RTM)’. The cost of this technology is RM9.6 million,” he said.
Dr Chen was accompanied by Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Prof Dr Sim Kui Hian and State Health Department director Dr Chin Zin Hing during his official visit to Sarawak Heart Centre.
