KUCHING: Tasik Biru Assemblyman, Datuk Henry Harry Jinep, has taken the initiative to follow up on the proposed project to construct a new Bau Hospital after six years without any status updates from the Ministry of Health (MOH).
He said the new project proposal was the fourth proposal after the first application in 2019 to the Secretary-General of the MOH, and the second and third applications in October 2021 and February 2023 respectively.
“The first two submissions were done by the Bau Hospital’s director herself.
“It is supposed to be the responsibility of the Member of Parliament to do the follow up, but sadly it has been ignored and neglected.
“After six years of no status and update, I took the initiative to follow up and made a courtesy call on the Deputy Minister of Health, Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni, on Wednesday,” he told Sarawak Tribune today.
Henry, who is also Deputy Minister for Transport (Rivers and Sea), said the main purpose of the meeting with Lukanisman was to ensure that the proposal to construct a new four-storey Bau Hospital Building, with an estimated cost of RM220 million, could be implemented under the third Rolling Plan (RP3) of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP).
“Bau Hospital, which has existed for the past 33 years, operates as a hospital without specialists, with only 68 beds.
“This existing capacity is no longer able to accommodate the increasing demand for health services in Bau District, which now has a population of around 75,000 people, excluding patients from outside the area such as Padawan, Penrissen, and residents from the Lundu District who live near Bau District.
“The proposed construction of a new four-storey building aims to upgrade Bau Hospital to a Minor Specialist Hospital (Step Down Care).
“This project is expected to add 144 new beds, bringing the total to 212 beds, and provide complete facilities such as three Operating Theatres, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Obstetrics and Gynaecology Unit, and other modern facilities,” he explained in his Facebook posting.
“Most importantly, this proposed upgraded hospital will function as an effective ‘step down care’ centre, thus reducing congestion and burden at the Sarawak General Hospital.”
Henry thanked Lukanisman and the MOH for their commitment to ensure this project is implemented under the upcoming 13MP.
