Tuesday August 5, 2008
CAMERON HIGHLANDS: Two more hospitals will be built in Pahang this year to ensure all its districts have one each, Health Minister Datuk Liow Tong Lai said.
Liow said the last two would be built in Rompin and Bera districts after the completion of hospitals in Cameron Highlands, Pekan and Temerloh.
He said the Sultan Hajjah Kalsom Hospital in Cameron Highlands was the latest to be completed.
Royal touch: Sultan Ahmad Shah (right) pampering day-old baby girl named Kalsom carried by Sultanah Kalsom while Liow looks on at the hosital in Cameron Highlands recently.
“The Federal Government’s commitment to providing facilities for healthcare is shown with the availability of the hospitals and health clinics in most villages.
“Sultanah Hajjah Kalsom Hospital built at a cost of RM112mil will replace the community hospital and benefit patients from Ipoh in Perak.
“In the 9th Malaysia Plan, apart from the hospitals in Rompin and Bera which are under construction, there are 22 health clinics, 16 community clinics, 19 upgraded hospitals and 20 staff quarters, while a project to upgrade a health clinic has been approved,” Liow said in his speech during the official opening and renaming of the hospital here recently.
The Cameron Highlands Hos–pital was renamed after Sultan Pahang Sultan Ahmad Shah’s wife Sultanah Kalsom.
Sultan Ahmad Shah officiated at the ceremony while Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob and wife Datin Seri Junaini Kassim and other state dignitaries were present.
Liow said the hospital, which had been operational from January, had 76 beds and could provide outpatient and in-patient, operation theatre and physiotherapy services.
“The hospital will be served by visiting specialists from Ipoh Hospital for children, obstetric, gynaecology and psychiatric services, while surgeons will come later.
“We provide shuttle services from Tanah Rata to the hospital, which is quite a distance from the town,” he said.
Liow said some critical cases were previously referred to Ipoh Hospital, however, patients from Perak who lived near here could seek treatment at the hospital.
Meanwhile, Sultan Ahmad Shah said, with the increase tourists, it was timely for the highland destination to have a hospital.
“I advise people to keep having programmes to promote healthy living, take healthy food and participate in healthy activities.
“We need to keep reminding people to care for their health as prevention is better than cure,” Sultan Ahmad Shah said. -- The Star.
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