Set up temporary accommodation in all public hospitals

KUALA LUMPUR: The government has been asked to compel the setting up of an ‘Anjung Kasih’ or a temporary accommodation for family members as part of the main facilities in all public hospital nationwide.

National Welfare Foundation Board of Trustees chairman Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said such an accommodation was vital to enable family members to visit and accompany warded patients without having to stay in hotel or other places.

“I would like to call on the government, especially the Health Ministry, to improve the existing facilities by ensuring the setting up of Anjung Kasih in the development of any new hospitals, especially in the 11th Malaysia Plan,” she told reporters here yesterday.

Shahrizat said it would also improve the health service delivery, especially to the underprivileged group.

“In Kuala Lumpur Hospital, for example, it is learnt that most of the patients are from the underprivileged group, so with the Anjung Kasih in place, it will definitely help them, especially those coming from other states,” she said.

At present, Shahrizat said the Anjung Kasih, had been made available in eight hospitals nationwide, namely at Selayang Hospital, Selangor; Tuanku Jaafar Hospital in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan; Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital in Kuantan and Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Hospital in Temerloh, Pahang; Miri Hospital, Sibu Hospital and General Hospital in Sarawak; and Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital in Ipoh, Perak.

“Anjung Kasih provides free, comfortable, safe and quality accommodation to family members and as at March 2015, a total of 14,622 people have benefitted from this facility,” he said.