KUCHING: Sarawak’s need to have a Women and Children’s Hospital will be brought forward to the Federal government through the Ministry of Health (MOH) for consideration.
Deputy Minister of Health Lukanisman Awang Sauni said it is because Sarawak is the only state in the country that does not have such a facility as compared to Sabah and in Peninsular Malaysia.
“There were many things, suggestions and ideas discussed during my visit here such as pertaining to the needs as well as infrastructure and facilities for the hospitals in this state.
“One of them is the need of the Sarawak government to have a Women and Children’s Hospital,” he said in a press conference after making an official visit to Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) here yesterday.
Besides that, he said the matter regarding the amount of allocation provided by the government to health services in Sarawak was also among the matters discussed.
“I will bring the suggestions and ideas mentioned earlier to MOH. It also should be reminded that we still need a certain amount of funds to mobilise health workers in rural areas and also have (more) specialists in other areas as well.
“This is because in Sarawak specialists are only based in SGH, but the service is actually also very much needed in other parts including Bintulu, Miri, Limbang and so forth.
“Apart from that, the situation is different from the situation in the peninsula because specialists can go to other states only by land, but here we have to take a plane,” he said.
Meanwhile, in September 2021, Kota Samarahan MP Rubiah Wang had raised in the Dewan Rakyat that it was time for the government to build a Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Sarawak in an effort to provide the best healthcare service to the two groups.
She said that the construction of the hospital is very important and necessary considering that such a facility is only available in the peninsula and Sabah.
With such a health facility, she added will be able to provide a comprehensive gynaecological, midwifery and pediatrics services.
