Funds to be used for project would be better spent to improve medical service delivery at facilities with outdated equipment, say three doctors
PETALING JAYA: Three doctors have raised concerns over the Health Ministry’s plan to build a new hospital in Petaling Jaya, saying the region is already well served by existing medical infrastructure.
Dr Musa Mohd Nordin, Dr Zulkifli Ismail and Dr Soon Thian Lian said allocating billions towards a new hospital raises broader questions about healthcare priorities and the distribution of medical resources nationwide.
In a letter published by The Star yesterday, they wrote that Selangor already hosts 13 public specialist hospitals, complemented by 55 licensed private hospitals, while within a 40km radius of the proposed hospital, residents have access to multiple tertiary care centres.
“The combined population of Petaling Jaya, Subang and Puchong is roughly two million, nearly identical to Kedah’s 2.3 milllion. Yet Kedah has 10 public hospitals and Perak, with 2.5 million people, manages with 15.”
They highlighted disparities faced by patients in Kelantan and the interior of Sabah and Sarawak, some of whom travel between 70km and 300km to access medical care.
“A mother in rural Sabah may leave home before dawn to reach a clinic that lacks an X-ray machine. A father in interior Sarawak may spend his weekly wages on transport to a hospital that is chronically understaffed.”
They added that such gaps are not solely due to geography, and argued that continued concentration of healthcare projects in more developed regions could widen existing inequalities.
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“Distributive justice is the backbone of any fair healthcare system. It demands that resources be allocated according to need.
“When one region enjoys special care within a half-hour drive while another endures a day-long journey for basic attention, the social contract frays.”
The trio also said challenges faced by existing public hospitals in Selangor stem less from bed shortages and more from outdated equipment, underfunded facilities and staff shortages.
They likened plans to spend billions on the proposed PJ Hospital while existing hospitals continue facing operational challenges to “buying a new car while one’s roof is leaking”.
They said the ministry should instead prioritise upgrading equipment, expanding ICUs and replacing ageing scanners in existing Klang Valley hospitals.
“Then, with the remaining resources, build not in Petaling Jaya but in Kota Bharu, Sandakan or Sibu. Build where a new hospital would slash travel time from four hours to 40 minutes. Build where a single MRI machine would serve a population the size of Kedah or Perak.”
They said resources should be directed towards areas where access to healthcare remains limited, particularly for lower-income patients in remote regions.
