Call for MoH to appoint local YBs to Kapit Hospital’s visitors board

KAPIT (Jan 16): Deputy Minister in Sarawak Premier’s Department (Native Laws and Customs) Jefferson Jamit Unyat has called upon the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MoH) appoint local elected representatives (YBs) to be members of the visitors board of Kapit Hospital.

According to him, such a move would ensure that the local assemblymen or MPs would be informed about the funding or development projects that would be endorsed for their areas.

“There must be proper networking and communications between board members and the local YBs because it is very important to make sure that the assemblymen or MPs would be informed about the activities going on in their areas, and the funding or development project that needs to be supported,” said the Bukit Goram assemblyman in a statement, released in connection with the recent official working visit by Deputy Health Minister Dato Lukanisman Awang Sauni to Kapit Hospital and Kapit Health Clinic.

During that visit, Kapit Hospital director Dr Francis Lee briefed Lukanisman, Jamit and Baleh assemblyman Nicholas Kudi Jantai about the hospital, including it now being equipped with a MRI machine, which was commissioned on Jan 8 this year.

Dr Lee also said the machine, along with the accompanying components and the building housing it, cost RM7 million, adding that since the commissioning, 30 patients had undergone screening.

“Previously, patients had to travel to Sibu Hospital for scanning – a journey that could take at least six hours from here – we lost precious time when it came to critical cases.

“Now that we have the scan machine, our medical officers could run more accurate analysis,” he said.

On future expansion of Kapit Hospital, Dr Lee said a proposal to construct an eight-storey building next to the old wooden block, had been submitted to the government.

“It (project cost) is estimated at RM 190 million.”

Dr Lee also spoke about the new link road to the hospital built in 2021.

Built by the Methodist Mission in 1950 and was originally named Kapit Christ Hospital, Kapit Hospital was handed over to Ministry of Health in 1974, and the present four-storey building was built 1995.

At present, this 134-bed facility caters to healthcare and medical needs of the people not only this district, but also those in Song, Bukit Mabong and Belaga.