Materia Medica Malaysiana

Gov't to eliminate negative perception against gov't hospitals

ALOR STAR Sept 24 - The government is endeavouring to improve services in government hospitals to change the public perception that the standard of service in government hospitals is unsatisfactory, said Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek.

He said several approaches had been taken lately to ensure that the standard of services at government hospitals could be enhanced to the satisfaction of the general public.

He said that among the approaches taken was to update the records and pharmaceutical department to reduce the waiting time for patients to 90 minutes compared to two hours previously.

"In addition, the ministry has also transferred manpower from the less busy hospitals to the busy ones so that the workload of the staff at the busy hospitals can be reduced," he told reporters after visiting Alor Star Hospital, here Friday.

He said the public should also discard the notion that private hospitals provided better services.

Chua said that in efforts to give specialist treatment, the ministry had identified several hospitals which could provide specific specialist treatment.

"Alor Star Hospital, for example, will offer expertise in arthroplasty and spinal surgery," he said.

On the new Alor Star Hospital, which is being built at Jalan Langgar, he said the project had reached 77 percent completion.

He said the hospital, costing more than RM500 million, was expected to be ready early next year.