KAJANG – The Kajang Hospital is congested because it wards 50 per cent more patients than its capacity, said Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
He said one of the main reasons for the congestion was the high daily rate of bed occupancy, up to 150 per cent.
He said this situation which had persisted for several years was due to the high number of patients, affecting not just the wards but also the specialist clinics and emergency unit.
He said the hospital had been forced to accept a large number of patients beyond its capacity.
Dr Dzulkefly said he had ordered the hospital to optimise the use of available space and to request for more beds.
“At present, the Kajang Hospital has 326 beds, so I have asked the hospital authorities to apply for at least 15 more.
“As a long-term solution, the ministry plans to build additional blocks and upgrade the existing ones,” Dr Dzulkefly told reporters after visiting the hospital here.
His visit was to look at the hospital’s congested conditions following a complaint from a member of the public on Twitter last month on the matter which got a reaction from Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Meanwhile, Dr Dzulkefly said the construction of a Women and Children’s Complex which would be part of the upgrading project for Kajang Hospital would help to accommodate the high number of patients.
He said the project which is due for completion in 2021 has a capacity for 272 beds.
“We hope the new facilities can meet the needs of the local community,” he said.
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