Call to extend Kapit Hospital gets support
KAPIT: The recent call to the federal government to add a multi-storey building to Kapit Hospital to enhance healthcare services here has received support from the local community.
Bukit Goram Jefferson Jamit Unyat had said the new facility is necessary to provide the growing population with specialist medical care.
Housing developer Datuk Yong Hua Sying said healthcare is a very serious issue to the people.
“We all deserve better healthcare services in Kapit. Nearly 60 years ago, Sarawak became independent through Malaysia, yet the only hospital in Kapit only provides basic healthcare. This is contrary to development. Health services must grow in tandem with modern advancements,” he said in response to Jamit’s call.
“All these years, our healthcare has remained stagnant while other urban centres like Sibu has expanded progressively. Daily patients are still referred to Sibu Hospital for specialist treatment. This is very sad.”
He said the people must support Jamit’s fight to improve conditions here.
Temenggong Tan Kian Hoo agreed that Jamit understood the predicament of the people, especially the rural folk.
“The hospital couldn’t even handle the increasing number of kidney patients requiring haemodialysis – only 15 machines at Kapit Hospital. The maximum slot is for only 60 kidney patients,” he pointed out.
“There is very limited space to put up more machines to cope with the ever-increasing demand. The number of kidney patients requiring haemodialysis keeps on increasing but there is no space for more machines. That is the dilemma. All these years, Kapit folk have cried out for a new multi-storey building to accommodate the various healthcare services but sadly the MoH (Ministry of Health) has not responded at all. Even the X-ray machine is very old.”
He stressed Kapit Hospital needs to construct a new multistorey building to meet public demand for more comprehensive specialist care.