UniSZA Teaching Hospital opens to the public next year

KUALA NERUS, Aug 3 (Bernama) -- Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin Teaching Hospital (HPUniSZA) is expected to be opened to the public early next year. 

UniSZA vice chancellor Prof Dr Fadzli Adam said, the construction of the hospital was fully completed in January this year after seven years, and for a start, the hospital will be equipped with 100 beds.

“We have just started our operations internally with the opening of the general medical clinic for UniSZA staff and students on August 1.

"During the period, the hospital's management will examine the effectiveness, suitability and make improvements to the service before the operation is opened to the public later," he said to the media after accompanying Terengganu Tengah Development Board (KETENGAH) chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Said to  HPUniSZA today.

He said HPUnisZA, a Syariah-compliant hospital is expected to help ease the problem of overcrowding of patients at Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital (HSNZ) in Kuala Terengganu which is becoming more critical at the moment.

"The operation of HPUniSZA will be carried out in stages because there is still medical equipment that is in the process of procurement... as many as 951 positions have also been and are being filled based on the operational needs of the hospital," he said.

In addition, Fadzli said the hospital would also collaborate with the National Heart Institute (IJN) to offer cardiologist treatment to East Coast residents who are now concentrated in the state's main hospital and at Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital (HUSM) in Kubang Kerian, Kelantan.

According to him, the matter has been discussed and agreed upon between the two parties and is expected to be fully operational by the middle of the year

"However, in this initial stage, the offer of cardiology treatment at HPUniSZA only involves consultation services for children which will be handled by IJN experts who will come once a month.

"We aim to be able to perform surgery and other cardiology treatments at the end of next year with the help and training of experts from IJN," he said adding that there are now three cardiologists and one cardiac surgery specialist at the hospital.  

-- BERNAMA