LIMBANG: Health facilities at Limbang Hospital will be upgraded to provide better services to people here and the surrounding areas.
Deputy Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail said the hospital will have an orthopaedic specialist by June this year, thus providing for eight specialist services there.
According to him, other specialist services involve paediatricians, medical specialists, mental health specialists, gynecologists, radiologists, surgeons and anesthetists.
“With this, the community can seek treatment at Limbang Hospital without having to go to Miri Hospital for both minor or critical cases.
“With this facility too, I hope that the people of Limbang and those in the surrounding areas can get better health services,” he was quoted as saying in a Sarawak Public Communication Unit (UKAS) report.
He also said that Limbang Hospital had been upgraded as a minor specialist hospital.
“But to become a minor specialist hospital, it needs to provide 10 types of expertise. God willing, in June, a bone specialist will be here, so there will be eight types of specialists.
“However, the Ministry of Health has recognised Limbang Hospital as a minor specialist hospital that can receive referral patients from around the Limbang district and Lawas Hospital,” he added.
Meanwhile, Abdul Rahman Ismail expects the construction of a complex to house the specialists at the existing site of the Limbang Hospital will be included in the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP).
“Currently, Limbang Hospital does not have a new site to develop the complex. So, the Limbang Division Health Department has to move out to provide space for the construction of a specialist complex.
“They actually already have a site, but have not obtained the allocation to build a health clinic in the new area.
“Thankfully, it (the construction of a health clinic) is included in the Fourth Rolling Plan of the 12MP, which is in 2024. I understand that this health clinic is one of the priorities in the list of health facilities in Sarawak.
“God willing, when it is ready, the Health Department will be able to move in, then the specialist complex can be built. I expect it to be built during the 13MP” he added.
Among those present were the Director of Limbang Hospital Dr. Syed Satahkatulah Mohamed Kalik, Limbang Division Health Officer Dr. Norliza Jusoh and Chairman of Limbang Hospital Social and Recreation Committee Club, Michelie Brahim.
