Published on: Sunday, March 22, 2009 |
Keningau: Assistant Rural Development Minister Datuk Sairin Karno said the Kota Kinabalu hospital management should look for a suitable site to build a new hospital, instead of buying yet another private hospital or an old building.
He said this would save the Government millions of ringgit during this time of global economic crisis. He said while the building of a new hospital is in progress, the Government could make use of the District Hospital here as a temporary measure. "Apart from this the hospitals in Beaufort and Kuala Penyu can also be used for the purpose.
"This will save the Government from spending at least RM200 million if having to buy the existing private hospitalÉthat kind of money can be used for the maintenance of existing hospitals," said Sairin, who is Liawan Assemblyman.
"If the Government truly buys this private hospital, it will definitely cost a lot," he said in response to calls to buy the Sabah Medical Centre after the seven-storey QEH tower block was declared unsafe recently and vacated.
Sairin said the Keningau District Hospital is still new and very well equipped for solving hospital-related problems in the city.
He said its location is also not that far, only one-and-a-half hour's drive from Kota Kinabalu.
Keningau District Hospital has been in operation since Oct 31, 2003, serving the medical needs of people in the district as well as nearby Tenom, Tambunan, Nabawan and three sub-districts.
Presently it has only 150 beds, which can be increased to 500 beds when needed, as well as four surgery rooms. About 70 doctors and 200 nurses presently serve there.
