KAJANG: Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah of Selangor has decreed the Ministry of Health (MOH) to consider building new hospitals and improving existing facilities to address the acute shortage of beds in major hospitals in the state.
His Royal Highness said that the move was necessary because bed utilisation in several major hospitals is now so high that there are patients who cannot be accommodated in beds when admitted to the wards.
The Selangor Sultan also ordered the MOH to consider building more new clinics in strategic areas to enable the people to have wider access to healthcare services at reasonable charges.
“I have found that there is a shortage of health clinic facilities throughout Selangor as compared to the state’s population.
“Although the number of private hospitals and clinics is quite large in Selangor, most of the people are still unable to afford the costs,” the ruler said in his speech when gracing the opening of the Women and Children Centre and the rebranding of Kajang Hospital to Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin Hospital here today.
Tengku Permaisuri of Selangor Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin was in attendance.
Also present were Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and Minister of Health Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
In his speech, Sultan Sharafuddin also drew attention to the issue of a shortage of government health workers, to the extent that some of them have to work double shifts.
His Royal Highness therefore ordered the MOH to immediately resolve the issue so that the number of health workers can be distributed fairly.
“If the number of positions is insufficient, create the positions to meet this urgent need.
“I believe that with an organised and improved work system, the welfare of hospital staff will be guaranteed and their mental and physical wellbeing will be stronger in providing the best service to the people,” he said.
Sultan Sharafuddin also expressed the view that health services in this country, especially in Selangor, need to be immediately prepared to face the increase in elderly patients following the projection that Malaysia will achieve the status of an ageing nation by 2035.
The Sultan remarked that the medical and healthcare services, particularly geriatric care for the elderly, are still at a stage that is not yet on par with countries like Japan and Singapore.
“I believe that geriatric units at several hospitals and health clinics should be expanded and upgraded with appropriate specialist personnel,” he said.
The ruler also instructed the MOH to consider the construction of a referral hospital dedicated to geriatric care to meet the growing needs in Selangor.
“In fact, healthy living practices need to be emphasised starting from the early stages of life and comprehensively to all age groups, not limited to the elderly,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sultan Sharafuddin said that the Women and Children Centre at the newly-rebranded Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin Hospital is expected to be able to improve the quality of services to the people in the Hulu Langat district.
“As we all know, this hospital has been operating since 1889 and the existing facilities have been improved and upgraded from time to time.
“Alhamdulillah, the people in Hulu Langat now have a choice of government hospital facilities that are equipped with sophisticated and high-tech equipment for the delivery of comprehensive women’s and children’s health services,” he added.
