91 dilapidated clinics repaired, upgraded - Dr Zaliha

PUTRAJAYA - A total of 91 clinics that are categorised as in poor and dilapidated conditions nationwide have been repaired and upgraded, said Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa.

She said repair and upgrading works on another 341 clinics are scheduled to be completed by the end of this year and four more are still in the procurement process.

The government, she said, had allocated more than RM110 million to repair and upgrade 1,200 clinics that are in poor and dilapidated condition, with the work being carried out in phases, involving 436 clinics this year and over 300 clinics next year.

"Based on the list, most of the clinics that are in poor and dilapidated condition are in Terengganu, involving 58 clinics, followed by 44 clinics in Negeri Sembilan and 42 clinics each in Perak and Pahang," she told a press conference after opening a conference on Hospital Support Services (PSH) here today.

Last July 3, the Malaysian MADANI Action Council announced it is focussing on two projects under the MADANI Economy initiative, namely upgrading facilities under the Ministry of Health (MOH) and expanding the implementation of MADANI Stalls.

Meanwhile, Dr Zaliha gave the assurance that the current process of transferring medical staff will not affect the services at MOH facilities, especially in the Klang Valley area.

"We are currently doing an exercise to transfer health workers, especially in Sabah and Sarawak, to meet the needs of health workers in our facilities. So, the vacancies that occur in the peninsula will be filled immediately to ensure our health services are not affected," she added.

She said this when asked to comment on a news portal which claimed the ongoing relocation for permanent placement of medical officers is expected to impact health services in the Klang Valley as about 1,000 of them are currently based in hospitals in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.

In another development, Dr Zaliha assured that the supply of medicines to all MOH facilities will not be affected by Pharmaniaga Bhd’s Practice Note 17 (PN17) status as the ministry is not solely dependent on the company.

She said Pharmaniaga was only involved in logistics and distribution.

"We (MoH) also have several ways for this pharmaceutical service by dealing directly with the companies involved. So, there is no impact on the supply of medications to the ministry’s health facilities," she said. - BERNAMA