PEKAN, June 11 — The initiative to upgrade 403 health clinics, identified as dilapidated, with a RM150 million allocation, is progressing well and expected to be completed by the end of this year, said Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni.
Out of the allocated funds, 41 clinics have already been upgraded, 326 are currently in progress, and 36 smaller projects are in the tender process, which is set to begin soon.
Among the clinics, 85 require full replacement, necessitating demolition and reconstruction. These projects are already coordinated nationwide and are being implemented.
"After visiting Sabah, Sarawak, and several other locations, I hae witnessed promising progress in our projects. Looking forward, we are hopeful that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will increase funding for our dilapidated clinic initiatives through Bitara Madani next year.
"Last year, we invested almost RM100 million in dilapidated clinics nationwide. This year, there has been a significant improvement, with the government allocating RM150 million to the Health Ministry," he said during a press conference following his visit to the Pekan District Health Office in Pahang today.
Of the upgrading projects, the MOH directly oversaw 393, while the remaining were managed by implementing agencies of the Public Works Department.
Lukanisman intends to propose to the top leadership the establishment of comprehensive clinics for Pekan residents. Currently, the clinics operate in the old district hospital building, which has since been relocated to a new facility.
"I will ensure that the planning and development team thoroughly assesses this need as it involves considerable costs. Otherwise, we will roll out the project gradually.
“Requests for such clinic projects are common, not just in Pahang but across Malaysia. States like Sabah, Sarawak, Johor, Perak, and others still require comprehensive clinics in various districts," he said.
— Bernama
