Padang Besar Hospital to be ready by 2020 - Health Minister

Padang Besar Hospital will commence construction later this year and is expected to begin operations in early 2020, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam.

He said the construction of the hospital was approved by the government with an allocation of RM200 million and will be located about five kilometres from Padang Besar town and three km from the Health Clinic there.

"The progress of the hospital project has reached a final discussion with the Public Works Department (PWD) and subsequently, the construction process will begin," he told reporters at the launch of Block B of the Tuanku Fauziah Hospital, here today.

The opening ceremony was performed by the Raja of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail.

Also present were the Raja Perempuan of Perlis, Tuanku Tengku Fauziah Tengku Abdul Rashid, Raja Muda, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail and Raja Puan Muda, Tuanku Lailatul Shahreen Akashah Khalil.

The seven-storey Block B with an area of 27,457 square metres was completed in September 2015 at a cost of RM193 million.

Dr Subramaniam said the Padang Besar Hospital would be able to accommodate 108 beds, with the men''s ward having a capacity for 28 beds, female ward (28 beds), obstetric ward (28 beds), children''s ward (20 beds), Intensive Care Unit (4 beds) and including two operating theaters.

Padang Besar Hospital will focus on maternal and child care facilities.

He also announced the construction of a Health Clinic with quarters in Kampung Gial here to commence construction later this year at a cost of RM23 million.

-- BERNAMA