The BN-led government has approved an allocation of RM90.5 million to build a new building at the Segamat Specialist Hospital.

Caretaker health minister Dr S Subramaniam said the construction of the building was to cater for the needs of the hospital which was now offering 18 areas of speciality to members of the public.

“Among the areas of speciality are general medicine, surgical, orthopaedic, paediatric, psychiatry, anesthesiology, radiology, nephrology, neurology and respiratory,” he told reporters after officiating the groundbreaking of the additional building and the declaration of the Segamat Hospital as a specialist hospital in Segamat today.

Also present were Johor caretaker health, environment, education and information committee chairperson Ayub Rahmat and Health Ministry secretary-general Chen Chaw Min.

Subramaniam said the building would house five bays in the red zone, 12 (in the yellow zone), six rooms (green zone), four bays for asthmatic patients, 12 beds in the observation room, the Emergency and Trauma Department, 18 beds (Intensive Care Unit) and 12 beds (High Dependency Unit or HDU).

In addition, he said there would be four surgical rooms, the Central Sterile Supply Department (CSSD) and the Respiratory Haemodynamics Unit there.

Subramaniam also said the construction of the building would begin immediately and was expected to be completed within two years.

“With this new facility, the people in Segamat will no longer have to go to Johor Baru or Muar for treatment from specialist doctors. This is the proof of the government's concern for the people in providing a better healthcare,” he added.

- Bernama