KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 27 — Dzulkefly Ahmad announced today additional allocations to upgrade the emergency department and psychiatric ward at Taiping Hospital in Perak, following a viral complaint about conditions there.
The health minister said, during a visit to Taiping Hospital last Sunday, that an extra RM796,000 has been allocated for the emergency department for the purchase of new beds, an ultrasound machine, and upgrade works.
A new block for the emergency department is currently under construction and is estimated to be fully operational by January.
Another RM549,000 allocation was approved for the psychiatric ward for a new air conditioning system, CCTV, a panic button, an ECT machine, and repairs of broken floor tiles.
Lights in the psychiatric ward will be changed immediately by the concessionnaire, whereas floor repairs are already ongoing and expected to be completed in the nearest time.
“To get additional staffing is the toughest because that’s beyond me; it’s under MOF (Ministry of Finance),” Dzulkefly was heard telling staff in a video posted on his Facebook page of his visit to Taiping Hospital.
“But we can do this – make it efficient, lean, whatever is within us – the [hospital] director plays a very important role.”
Dzulkefly’s visit to Taiping Hospital followed a complaint by Deputy Prime Minister II Fadillah Yusof’s special officer Neow Choo Seong, whose visit to the hospital went viral on TikTok and Facebook, when he highlighted the use of canvas beds in the emergency unit.
In a comment on Dzulkefly’s Facebook post, Neow thanked the health minister.
“In health issues, what is important is not what goes viral, but what is being done to continuously improve the situation,” said a female voiceover in Dzulkefly’s video.
