Polyclinic at Jln Oya too ‘out of date’, its staff overworked, says Pelawan rep

SIBU: The DAP has been receiving lots of complaints from the public about the long queues and the out-of-date facilities at Jalan Oya Polyclinic here.

Pelawan assemblyman David Wong, who is also state DAP vice-chairman, said in response to the complaints, he went to visit the polyclinic recently with his assistant.

“We learn that more than 1,000 patients come to the polyclinic daily. The pharmacy there has four counters – one is for patients to take their numbers, while the other three are dispensing medicines.

“Bear in mind that the pharmacists are serving about 1,000 people – this caused ‘heavy jam’ inside the polyclinic, which was built more than 30 years ago.

“I also observe that the facilities there remain as they were back in the 1980s, without air-conditioning units except at the pharmacy area. The problem is that the pharmacy room is so small with insufficient seating, that the people have to wait outside,” he told reporters at a press conference here yesterday.

Wong disclosed that after having spent more than an hour in the morning at the pharmacy division, they realised that the three pharmacists were actually very efficient – each serving one ‘customer’ in just within three minutes.

“Obviously, the pharmacists were overworked – each of them had to serve more than 300 patients,” he noted as he highlighted the stark contrast between the Jalan Oya Polyclinic and the one at Lanang, which he also visited.

“Lanang Polyclinic has better facilities, is fully air-conditioned and provides ample seating areas.”

According to Wong’s observation, Lanang Polyclinic operates from 8am to 9.30pm, Mondays to Fridays while on Saturdays, it opens half-day.

On the other hand, Jalan Oya Polyclinic opens from 8am to 5pm, Mondays to Fridays only.

In this respect, he called for the Jalan Oya Polyclinic to have a similar schedule as that of Lanang Polyclinic so that those living in the urban or town areas would not have to go there early in the morning and queue up with those coming from far rural areas.

“The townsfolk could go there (Jalan Oya Polyclinic) in the evening, which would help reduce the congestion there.”

Wong also pointed out that the DAP had proposed to the federal government to identify a site for another new polyclinic.

“This should be a long-term plan. In the short term, DAP wants the Ministry of Health and also the Minister of Local Government Sarawak, Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian to at least come to Sibu (and visit Jalan Oya Polyclinic) with me to view the issue.

“We call on Dr Sim to make sure that the polyclinic would have more air-conditioning installed, especially at its waiting area, within three months – failing which, DAP will install the units for the benefit of the ‘rakyat’ (people). But in view of it (polyclinic) being a government facility, we need a letter of consent from the Ministry of Health; otherwise, we cannot do it.

“Dr Sim, who is a senator and a state minister, has that authority and responsibility to obtain that letter of consent for us to install the air-conditioning units.

“If he could not provide the air-conditioners or could not get the consent letter, then he should resign from the post because we want to see a minister who really takes care of the ‘rakyat’.

“We need to throw this kind of challenge; or else Sibu would always be marginalised by both the state and federal governments,” Wong stressed.

Sibu MP Oscar Ling was also at the press conference yesterday.