SIMUNJAN: The Health Ministry (MOH) has taken immediate action to upgrade facilities at Semera and Sadong Jaya health clinics (KK) as well as Simunjan Hospital to improve the quality of healthcare in the area.
Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the move was to overcome the challenges posed by the dilapidated and unsafe health clinics and hospital.
“As short-term planning at Semera KK, the ministry will provide a comfortable and air-conditioned cabin so as not to disrupt services at the clinic and as a replacement to the maternity ward building that has been certified unsafe by the Public Works Department,” he told a press conference at Simunjan Hospital yesterday.
Khairy said the Semera health clinic will house a mobile cabin to temporarily serve as a postnatal care ward.
“While waiting for the application for the construction of a new health clinic, we have approved the allocation for the setting up of this cabin. This is so that health services are not interrupted.
“In fact, this cabin will be equipped with air conditioning and other comforts for temporary use,” he said.
He added that he had approved the provision of an ambulance and an ultrasound machine at the health clinic.
He said the Sadong Jaya health clinic would be upgraded, particularly its stairways and emergency treatment rooms.
“During our visit at Sadong Jaya health clinic this morning (Sept 5), many patients had to sit and wait under a tent because the treatment room could not accommodate the increasing number of patients.
“Because of that, we plan to build a new clinic for the long term while also approving some other equipment facilities in the clinic as well,” he said.
Khairy said his ministry also approved the installation of standby generators for Sadong Jaya health clinic due to the frequent blackouts at the clinic.
“This is because one of the problems at Sadong Jaya health clinic is power failure which affects some of the medicines that need to be kept at a certain temperature,” he said.
Earlier, Khairy, accompanied by Deputy Premier Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian, Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri and Simunjan assemblyman Awla Dris stopped at the Semera Lot health clinic and Sadong Jaya health clinic to get a feel of the facilities on the ground before proceeding to Simunjan Hospital.
