Thumbs up to Pahang childcare centres
Hospital staff happy with round-the-clock care for kids
PEKAN: While finding a childcare centre may be a headache for some parents, staff at the Pekan Hospital can count themselves lucky.
The hospital has a childcare centre which operates round the clock.
Set up on Oct 1, 2009, Pahang Health Department director Dr Sha'ari Ngadiman said the centre called Taska Ezati was currently looking after 28 children aged between three months and four years.
“We are aware that it is not easy to find a suitable childcare centre for employees working odd hours.”
Similar centres, he said, were also set up at the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital in Kuantan and the Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Hospital in Temerloh.
There is also a childcare centre at the Rompin Hospital, which operates during office hours.
“We’ve received positive feedback from parents,” he said.
Dr Sha’ari said his wish was to see all hospitals in Pahang equipped with such centres as they allowed the parents to work with a peaceful state of mind.
“At Pekan Hospital, we charge RM250 per child for those below two years old and RM230 for toddlers aged three and below. I believe the price is much cheaper than other childcare centres.
“For staff whose household income is below RM5,000 a month, we subsidise RM180,” he said.
Operators for the centres, added Dr Sha’ari, were selected via a tender every three years. He said only those registered with the Welfare Department could put in a bid.
The operators, he added, were also required to follow the rules set by both the department and the hospital, including ensuring that their staff were well trained and that the cook submitted meal plans to the nutritionist.
Parents, said Dr Sha'ari, were kept informed of developments via a WhatsApp group, adding that a special committee to monitor the nursery and carry out ad hoc visits was also set up.
Nurse Nurul Akmal Ramli, 29, said the centre was a great help, especially since her husband was away on Navy duty for days or months.
“I do not have to travel to different babysitters to take care of my two-year-old son. It is also convenient for me to breastfeed him at the nursery.
“What I like the most is that we are kept updated on our children’s activities through WhatsApp,” she said.
Habibah Abu Bakar, 39, said her youngest child, four-year-old Puteri Eryna Khadli, had shown great progress since she was sent to the centre in January.
Habibah, who is with the administration department, said her daughter could now read the alphabet and differentiate colours and shapes.
“I need to send my other children to school early every morning but this has not been a problem because the nursery is open 24 hours.
“I have to coax her to leave when it is time to go home.” — Bernama