By Doreen Ling
LAWAS, Sept 14: Deputy Minister of Health, Dato Hanifah Hajar Taib, is hopeful that specialist doctors will be stationed at the new Lawas Hospital to decrease reliance on visiting specialists who come according to a scheduled arrangement.
Speaking at the handover ceremony for the new Lawas Hospital here today, she said the distance to referral hospitals had made it difficult for residents to access specialist treatment.
“I hope this hospital will become a specialist hospital, thereby reducing the community’s dependence on hospitals located further away,” she said.
At the same time, she thanked the Sarawak government for providing significant additional infrastructure so people in Lawas and Limbang can access safe, quality treatment close to home.
“This is particularly important for residents of Lawas due to geographical factors. Previously, patients requiring referral treatment had to travel approximately one and a half hours to Limbang, while the journey to Miri could take around three and a half hours, depending on the route and involving travel across the Brunei or Sabah borders,” she said.
She stressed that although the new hospital is not intended to eliminate the need for patient referrals, as the healthcare system still requires cooperation between different facilities, strengthening healthcare services in Lawas will enable more people to receive treatment closer to their families and communities.
“I hope that the new Lawas Hospital will be utilised to its fullest potential and continue to develop in line with the needs of the local community and surrounding areas.
“May this hospital provide the best possible treatment to patients, make matters easier for their families, and help healthcare workers carry out their duties more effectively through the new facilities,” said Hanifah, who is also Mukah MP.
According to a press handout by the Sarawak Public Works Department (JKR), the project was implemented on June 30, 2020, with a total allocation of RM183 million.
Also present were Works Minister and Kapit MP Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi; Deputy Premier and Bukit Saria assemblyman Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan; Deputy Minister of Transport and Limbang MP Datuk Hasbi Habibollah; Lawas MP Dato Henry Sum Agong; Batu Danau assemblyman Dato Paulus Gumbang; and Ba’Kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian. — DayakDaily
