By DayakDaily Team
DEBAK, Aug 17: The wooden structure of the old Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Unit at Debak Health Clinic, which was built in the 1970s, will be demolished next week to make way for the construction of a new two-storey building costing RM11 million.
According to Sarawak Deputy Minister for Women, Children, and Community Wellbeing Datuk Mohammad Razi Sitam, preliminary work on the project, funded by the State government through the Betong Division Development Agency (BDDA), began today and is expected to be completed within 20 months.
He said the new building would also house a dental clinic, as well as administrative space and meeting rooms to enhance healthcare facilities for the local community.
“During the construction period, the MCH Unit’s operations will be temporarily relocated to a building behind Debak Health Clinic that has been upgraded by the Sarawak Health Department (JKNS).
“We hope the project can be completed according to schedule so that local residents can enjoy better healthcare facilities,” he said when met by the media after the closing ceremony of the Kompak Programme (Caring, Active, and Competent Community) at Dewan Perpaduan Debak today, as reported by TVS.
On the programme, he said it serves as a platform to strengthen the knowledge, skills and leadership capabilities of community leaders in communicating government policies and initiatives to grassroots communities, in line with the aspirations of the Betong Division Strategic Plan 2026-2030 to develop caring, active and competent community leaders.
He said community leaders play an important role as a link between the government and the people and therefore need to understand local needs as well as information on government assistance, facilities and initiatives.
“Today, we are very pleased that the Kompak Programme successfully brought together 120 participants from across the Saribas constituency.
“The participation of people from various age groups and backgrounds demonstrates our community’s enthusiasm and readiness to continue learning, expanding their knowledge and jointly participating in community development programmes,” he said.
Among the agencies involved were the Betong Social Welfare Office, Betong Division Community Development Department (Kemas), Betong Divisional Health Office, Sarawak Service Betong Divisionm and the Sarawak State Office of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture (Motac).
During the same programme, he also presented Minor Rural Project (MRP) cheques worth RM288,000 to Village Development and Security Committees (JKKKs), as well as RM232,000 to mosques and surau in the Saribas constituency. — DayakDaily
