Published on: Sunday, March 22, 2009 |
Kota Kinabalu: Procuring the Sabah Medical Centre (SMC) building is a better option than converting the Wisma Khidmat complexes into a hospital, according to the Sabah Government Pensioners Association (PPKS).
Its President Dr Florentius Epin, in a statement, Saturday, said the Wisma Khidmat building was not a good idea as it was not designed for use as a hospital in the first place.
"Dismantling and knocking down here and there would affect the structure of the building.
"At the same time, it may not be ideally suited as the operating theatres, wards, laundry, kitchen and toilets, among others, may not be aligned to the desired sizes because of the size and shape of the ready built structure."
"Except for some makeshift internal renovations which are not conducive for the purpose as a permanent hospital," he said.
The lifts (at Wisma Khidmat), he said, are not suited for stretchers and heavy medical equipment, pointing out that stretchers are used to wheel patients to wards, operating theatres or sending bodies to the mortuary.
"The whole renovation cost may be more costly and time consuming as well as tedious than building a new hospital," he said, pointing out that there was also a possibility that it may turn out to be unsatisfactory as a hospital.
A hospital, said Epin, requires proper architectural design and planning, so as to endure a good working environment for staff as well as conducive for patients and the public, in general.
"Staff working in a good environment are happy and productive and this in turn will benefit the patients as well as public."
Another disadvantage of the Wisma Khidmat area was its insufficient parking spaces as structures such as mortuary, emergency generator house, water tanks will surely be added on.
"All government facilities meant to serve the people must take into consideration the provision of ample parking spaces for both public and staff. It is unfair to leave the problem to them as we serve the people, as they are the taxpayers.
"It is unfortunate that, usually the public you are serving are kept out.
Unless you have a first-class public transportation system, it is unavoidable that they have to use their own vehicles."
Epin viewed the procurement of the ready-built SMC as a more favourable option as the building is ready to be moved into and start operations.
However, he said if even the plans to purchase the SMC do go through, the Government needs to plan more medical facilities in the city taking into consideration the growing population as well as the healthcare needed such as the setting up of a heart institute, cancer, medical research centre and so on.
