Materia Medica Malaysiana

Hospital for rehabilitative care

The Government will build a hospital for rehabilitative care for patients suffering from chronic illnesses and those requiring long-term care.
Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said the hospital, to be built under the Ninth Malaysia Plan, would be in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.
"Taking into account the higher life expectancy in the country, which leads to a higher incidence of chronic diseases and also the higher number of road accidents, there is a need for such a hospital," he said after visiting the Columbia Asia Medical Centre in the Oakland Commercial Centre here today.
The country does not have a designated hospital for patients recovering from illnesses such as stroke or car accidents, which needs specialised care over a longer period of time.
Dr Chua said keeping these patients in normal hospitals for emergency care would be costly.
The Cheras Hospital will also become a training centre to equip staff with skills in dealing with rehabilitative care.
Besides the rehabilitative hospital, the Government is also expected to set up more smaller hospitals with 20 to 30 beds in low density areas such as the rural areas of Sabah and Sarawak, Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu.
These hospitals would be tailored to the needs of the community.
The ministry will also set up a daycare centre in each State which will enable patients to come in for treatment and leave by the end of the day.