A NEW maternity and paediatric block will be built at the Penang General Hospital to replace the now-closed Penang Maternity Hospital, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam yesterday.
Dr Subramaniam, who visited the Penang General Hospital, here, yesterday, said the 122-year-old Penang Maternity Hospital was no longer safe because of its dilapidated condition.
“All maternity and paediatric services have been moved to Penang General Hospital until the new block is completed,” he said, adding that the project, approved under the 10th Malaysia Plan, would cost about RM250 million.
He said the construction work would begin in 2016 and was due to be completed by 2019.
“So, we can use the new facility in early 2020. Meanwhile, all services will be transferred to the main hospital building,” he said.
Dr Subramaniam said he was concerned that the influx of patients from Penang Maternity Hospital would cause congestion and possibly lower the quality of service at Penang General Hospital.
“I have suggested a few solutions (to the state health director) to overcome this problem,” he said.
“Firstly, the hospital’s outpatient department can be relocated to another area to reduce congestion.”
Dr Subramaniam said he was confident that this would help to maintain the quality of service at the hospital as the same measure had already been implemented successfully at several hospitals.
“Every day, two to three thousand people come in and out of this hospital’s outpatient department,” he said.
“The relocation of the department will reduce congestion as evidenced by other hospitals in the country.”
Dr Subramaniam said the state Health Department could also consider setting up a low-risk maternity centre, where women expecting their second, third or fourth child could admit themselves into the centre.
“That way, the Penang General Hospital can allocate more room to women with high-risk and first-time pregnancies,” he said.
“It is conventionally accepted that women who have given birth before are in the low-risk category.”
Dr Subramaniam said the state Health Department should also consider setting up a second cardiology intervention lab, which would allow the hospital to take in and treat more patients with cardiovascular diseases.
“The Health Department has received funding from the Health Ministry for the year 2015.
“If it agrees to build the lab, the project can be completed by next year,” he said.
In a related matter, Dr Subramaniam said the ministry was mulling the possibility of integrating all government hospitals in Penang to improve the quality of healthcare services and provide better care for patients.
“An integrated health service will allow hospitals in Balik Pulau, Seberang Jaya, Bukit Mertajam, Sungai Bakap and Kepala Batas to work as one functional unit.
“These hospitals can share their expertise to optimise resources.”
Dr Subramaniam said this had been implemented successfully in Malacca, Tawau, and Semporna in Sabah.