THE number of haemodialysis machines in Sarawak is able to meet the needs of 21 hospitals and four health clinics in the state for the time being.
Nevertheless, Deputy Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government Michael Tiang Ming Tee said his ministry is submitting proposals to upgrade facilities and procure assets on yearly basis to the federal Ministry of Health (MoH) for service expansion.
Responding to Huang Tiong Sii (GPS-Repok) on the government’s strategy in combating the issue of the lack of ambulances and dialysis machines in Sarikei Hospital, Tiang said Sarikei Hospital has three functional ambulances but his department had submitted an application to the federal MoH for additional units.
“We have submitted applications to the federal MoH to procure new ambulances via central purchase and three ambulances will be allocated to Sarikei Hospital in phases.
“As for haemodialysis (HD) machines at the Sarikei Hospital, there are 16 machines available for 60 patients who are undergoing haemodialysis and the 16 machines are enough to cater for the population in Sarikei,” Tiang said.
Meanwhile, in response to Allan Siden Gramong (GPS-Machan) on Sarawak government’s plan to upgrade the facilities of the haemodialysis centre at Kanowit Hospital, Tiang said the project is currently at the pre-implementation stage.
“The federal government had approved RM8 million under 12MP Rolling Plan 1 in 2021 for the proposed upgrading of the surgical theatre and haemodialysis centre at Kanowit Hospital project and it is in the pre-implementation stage.
“We also have been granted an allocation of RM365,000 under the BP6 Project Fund which includes upgrading works involving the Private Automatic Branch Exchange (PABX) system and related works as well as replacement of the entire underground piping system in the medical building, and it is currently at the procurement stage,” Tiang added.
