More than 200 rural clinics to be upgraded in Sabah

TAWAU: The Health Ministry is upgrading in phases more than 200 rural clinics in Sabah in an effort to provide rural residents with better access to health.
Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahya said the clinics would be upgraded to level seven (KK7), whereby they would have out-patient service, as well as maternal and child health, and would be equipped with quarters for the medical staff.
There are more than 300 rural clinics in Sabah, with more than 200 of them in poor condition, he told reporters at a "Ziarah Kasih Sayang : 'Misi' Masuk Kampung" programme here today.
The programme, organised by Tawau Umno Youth with the cooperation of the Tawau Nursing College, saw occupants of more than 400 houses in Apas and Balung being given free health check.
Dr Hilmi said the ministry also provided more than 30 1Malaysia Mobile Clinics ((KB1M), including the service of flying doctors, to provide better health service access to residents in 25 remote areas in Sabah.
In a related development, he said the Apas Balung Health Clinic would be rebuilt upon approval of an additional allocation of RM5 million by the Economic Planning Unit (EPU), which had approved RM15 million for the purpose.
He also said more than RM10 million had been approved for the construction of Sungai Tamang Health Clinic in Pulau Sebatik here, to replace the old clinic which was damaged in a landslide. — Bernama