KUCHING, Nov 5: With the high volume of heavy industry and workplace injuries, Bintulu Hospital is in urgent need of an upgrade with full facilities and specialists to provide necessary and critical care to people.
Bintulu MP Dato Sri Tiong King Sing pointed out that Bintulu Hospital needs to have at least 300 beds, 20 intensive care unit (ICU) beds and 15 critical care unit (CCU) beds.
“However, it is only making do with six ICU beds and zero CCU beds (at present). Moreover, the burns treatment unit in the hospital is also not fully set up and the space there has even been used as an operating theatre.
“The Ministry of Health (MOH) cannot ignore this given that Bintulu is a heavy industry town, particularly in the oil and gas industry,” he said in a statement issued yesterday.
Due to the shortage of specialists in public health, family medicine, haematology, blood transfusion, nephrology, neurology, paediatrics and others, Tiong added that Bintulu patients have to be referred to other hospitals.
“Precious lives are lost due to delays. Compared to hospitals in Peninsular Malaysia which are assigned with two to three specialists, Sarawak’s hospitals seemed to be marginalised badly,” he said.
This matter has been raised during the Budget 2022 debate in Parliament on Tuesday. “But this is not the first time I have expressed these needs in the august House as I have done so in the previous three terms of sittings,” he said while expressing disappointment that they have not been taken seriously.
Tiong, who is also the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to China, stressed that the capacity, facilities and equipment in the hospital must be upgraded and added to ensure the hospital’s operations can run smoothly.
“This is to cope with patient influx from Murum, Kakus, Dalat, Tatau, Mukah and other nearby districts.
“In addition, the Sebauh clinic should also be upgraded and a new hospital built with at least 50 beds,” he said.
Tiong reminded the Federal government that Sarawak holds equal partner status under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and deserves a share in medical resources.
He also hopes that the authorities can look into upgrading the Bintulu Police Station, instead of making promises under the Malaysia Plan.
“A large number of law enforcement is required to maintain peace, order and safety in the district with a high concentration of heavy industry players.
“I have raised this issue from the very first term as MP, but the Ministry of Home Affairs continues to give the same old answers: ‘akan dikaji’ (will study) or ‘akan dipertimbangkan’ (will consider),” he said. — DayakDaily
