PARIT: The Seri Iskandar Hospital (HSI) is poised to bolster healthcare in the Perak Tengah district with its opening set for December 11. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad announced that the hospital, which has been constructed at a cost of RM153.18 million, will serve as a non-lead hospital. Specialist services will be provided by the Seri Manjung Hospital, acting as the lead hospital in the area.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Dr Dzulkefly emphasized that the Seri Iskandar Hospital would benefit from cluster specialist services. He made these remarks during the handover ceremony of the Seri Iskandar Hospital project and the additional block at Seri Manjung Hospital. The event was also attended by Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi.
The hospital will offer a range of specialist and sub-special services through specialist visits, including Emergency Medicine, General Medicine and Surgery, Paediatrics, Psychiatry, Orthopaedics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, as well as Radiology. F
or its operations, 516 new positions have been approved, encompassing 22 medical officers, 97 assistant medical officers, 137 nurses, and 260 other service scheme roles.
Additionally, the Works Ministry has transferred the Seri Manjung Hospital’s new block, costing RM75 million, to the Ministry of Health. This facility is scheduled to be operational on January 13, 2025. The new block includes a four-storey building with specialist clinics and a single-storey building designated for psychiatric services.
Dr Dzulkefly noted that the four-storey building will house 22 Consultation and Examination Rooms for ENT Specialist Services, Maxillofacial Surgery, and Paediatric Dentistry, aiming to reduce patient referrals to Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital in Ipoh and Teluk Intan Hospital. The psychiatric ward in the Seri Manjung Hospital will also help decrease patient referrals to Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta.
In the context of the Budget 2025, Dr Dzulkefly highlighted plans for 16 new projects and the continuation of
23 existing projects in Perak, with an allocation of RM117.85 million. Among the ongoing health facility projects slated for completion in 2025 and 2026 are the Parit Buntar Hospital, the upgrade of the Blood Transfusion Department at Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital, and Klinik Kesihatan (Type 3) Air Tawar in Manjung.