BUKIT MERTAJAM: The 135-year-old Bukit Mertajam Hospital is slated for an upgrade to ease congestion, said Human Resource Minister Steven Sim.
He said the Health Ministry is conducting a detailed study on the design, cost and development plan before a decision is finalised.
Bukit Mertajam Hospital is currently experiencing congestion, affecting not only patients and visitors but also traffic, due to a shortage of parking spaces.
As a result, the Health Ministry, together with the state government and the hospital, is planning to upgrade the facility.
The state government has agreed to provide an eight-acre plot at BM Rest House, opposite the hospital, should it be deemed suitable for the upgrade.
The development plan, including the type of blocks to be built and services to be provided, is still subject to the Health Ministry’s decision.
Bukit Mertajam Hospital currently has 242 beds and with the upgrade, the number could be doubled to provide better services for residents of Bukit Mertajam and nearby areas.
Sim added that he would meet Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad next week to discuss the matter and request that the planning and design process be expedited.
Earlier, he inspected new toilet facilities at the hospital, developed with a 200,000 ringgit contribution from his office.
He also said that these facilities were among the key factors that earned Bukit Mertajam Hospital the Gold Award for the Most Sustainable Hospital at the Hospital Management Asia 2025 awards held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on September 11.
This hospital is one of the oldest in the region, and it is not easy to implement sustainability measures.
However, their efforts have succeeded; for example, they have achieved nearly an 11% reduction in energy consumption and a carbon reduction of about 350 tonnes per year.
These efforts not only contribute to environmental sustainability but also save nearly 250,000 ringgit in operating costs annually. – Bernama
