PARIT, Nov 21 Nov (Bernama) -- The Seri Iskandar Hospital (HSI), which will open on Dec 11, is expected to strengthen health services in the Perak Tengah district.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said HSI, which costs RM153.18 million, will continue the role of the Changkat Melintang Hospital as a non-lead hospital, with specialist services provided by the Seri Manjung Hospital as the lead hospital.
“Through this approach, the Seri Iskandar Hospital will receive access to cluster specialist services,” he said during his speech at the handover ceremony for the Seri Iskandar Hospital project and Seri Manjung Hospital additional block today.
Also present at the event was Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi.
Meanwhile, Zulkefly said among the specialist and sub-special services provided through specialist visits include Emergency Medicine, General Medicine and General Surgery, Paediatrics, Psychiatry, Orthopaedics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, as well as Radiology.
“For this operation, 516 new positions have been approved, which include medical officers (22 positions), assistant medical officers (97), nurses (137), and other service schemes (260)," he said.
Meanwhile, the Works Ministry (KKR) also handed over the Seri Manjung Hospital additional block, costing RM75 million, to the MOH. This new block will be operational from Jan 13, 2025.
According to Dzulkefly, the additional block will comprise two buildings namely a four-storey building offering various facilities and a single-storey building housing the psychiatric ward.
"This four-story building will have specialist clinics, with 22 Consultation and Examination Rooms (CE) for ENT Specialist Services, Maxillofacial Surgery and Paediatric Dentistry. This service will reduce patient referrals to the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital in Ipoh and the Teluk Intan Hospital.
“Additiionally, with the new psychiatry ward in the Seri Manjung Hospital, patient referrals to Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta will be reduced,” he also said.
He added that through Budget 2025, Perak will get 16 new projects and will see the continuation of 23 existing projects, with a total allocation of RM117.85 million.
Among the ongoing health facility connection projects in Perak, scheduled for completion in 2025 and 2026, are the Parit Buntar Hospital; upgrading of the Blood Transfusion Department at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital; and Klinik Kesihatan (Type 3) Air Tawar, Manjung.
--BERNAMA