By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Oct 21: Three health clinics in Lawas have been approved by the Ministry of Health (MoH) for new construction and replacement, with projects at different stages of implementation and some expected to be completed by 2028.
According to a TVS report, Deputy Health Minister Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib said the three projects involve Lawas Health Clinic, Kuala Lawas Health Clinic and Ba’kelalan Health Clinic, which are currently at different stages of implementation.
She added that five other health clinics; Long Semadoh, Merapok, Sundar, Tang Lapadan and Trusan, have been identified for future replacement under the MoH Master Plan.
The new Lawas Health Clinic (Type 3), which includes staff quarters, is expected to be handed over by the Sarawak Public Works Department (JKR) to the MoH in December 2026 and begin operations in early 2027.
According to Hanifah Hajah, the facility will provide additional services, including radiology, dental care and rehabilitation, covering physiotherapy and occupational therapy. It will also have four quarters units.
“Meanwhile, construction of the replacement Kuala Lawas Health Clinic began in July 2026 and is expected to be completed in January 2028. The new facility will include an emergency room, three treatment rooms and four quarters units,” she said in her response to a question from Lawas MP Dato Henry Sum Agong (Gabungan Parti Sarawak–Lawas) in the Dewan Rakyat on Oct 21.
She added that the new Ba’kelalan Health Clinic project is currently at the pre-implementation stage, with the tender process underway. Construction is expected to take 18 months, with completion scheduled for 2028.
The Ba’kelalan Health Clinic is expected to provide outpatient and maternal and child health services, as well as an emergency room, three treatment rooms and four quarters units
Hanifah Hajar also said the Borneo Health Tour had enabled the ministry to assess the physical condition of clinics, existing facilities and the constraints faced by healthcare workers, particularly in remote areas. – DayakDaily
