JOHOR BARU: The Johor State government spent RM13.7 million to upgrade 43 public health clinics including 29 located in rural areas, for the whole of this year.
Johor Health and Unity Committee chairman Ling Tian Soon said the healthcare clinics, commonly known as Klinik Kesihatan in Ayer Hitam and Tongkang Pechah in Batu Pahat and Sungai Mati (Tangkak), were among the clinics that underwent extensive upgrading works to further enhance its service, equipment and infrastructures for the benefit of the people.
The 29 rural area clinics, known as Klinik Desa are basically Women and Child Health public clinics, meant for uncomplicated antenatal and postnatal follow-up as well as vaccinations. It also administers medicine and conducts checks for common health issues.
"These initiatives taken were aimed at uplifting the public healthcare services which are made accessible to every housing-estate within a five and 10km radius, while strengthening unity, and our efforts to curb drug-addictions in Johor,' he said.
He added that he had supervised the upgrading works to ensure the healthcare service to the people in the respective districts were not disrupted during construction, and to ensure the appointed-contractors met their handover deadlines.
The RM13.7 million allocation was not solely used on public healthcare clinics; several government hospitals in all 10 state districts also underwent upgrading and refurbishment works.
Among them included RM254,136 of the funds channelled towards the Muar Sultanah Fatimah Specialist Hospital, where the hospital's polyclinic lane and its Nursing College's management block were also refurbished for the convenience of outpatients and hospital staff.
Meanwhile, the waiting hall in the Temenggong Seri Maharaja Tun Ibrahim Hospital in Kulai, underwent ward enhancements and its waiting hall was expanded to accommodate more patients systematically and comfortably.
A new building to house the Sultanah Aminah Hospital's (HSA) pathology unit was built, while two new public healthcare clinics were built in Taman Ungku Tun Aminah and in Palong Timur, in Segamat.
Aligning with the Johor Maju agenda and to keep abreast with the ever-evolving healthcare sector, the hospitals' digital support systems underwent robust upgrades.
Outdated computers were replaced and the hospital systems underwent technological upgrades to enhance its operation efficiency.
Ling said RM96,730 was spent to replace HSA's computers, and RM50,000 at the Sultanah Nora Ismail Hospital in Batu Pahat.
The hospitals also were equipped with cooler fans and new folding beds donated by private companies and non-governmental-organisations (NGO).
He expressed gratitude to the private entities and NGOs for their contributions, which also included chairs, desks, and lockers.