JOHOR BARU: The increase in the number of health staff at the Sultan Ismail Hospital (HSI) and the Sultanah Aminah Hospital (HSA) will help boost the efficiency of processes in the wards, thereby alleviating the burden on existing staff.
Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said 243 medical professionals will be added, including doctors and nurses, at the two hospitals.
The two wards at HSI, which were previously closed, he said have reopened and resumed operations.
"I am happy to inform you that wards 9A and 10A at HSI, which were closed since last year, have reopened from last Wednesday. A total of 33 Health Ministry staff will report for duty this week, with another 60 in July for HSI and 150 for HSA.
"With the additional staff, the burden of the existing staff will be alleviated and service efficiency will be increased in the relevant departments," he told reporters after inspecting HSI operations here today.
Present were state Health and Unity Committee chairman Ling Tian Soon, Johor health director Dr Mohtar Pungut @ Ahmad and HSI director Dr Zuraini Zainal.
Onn Hafiz also expressed appreciation for the leadership at the federal level, especially the ministry, its minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa and the Public Service Department for approving the increase in the number of health workers in the state.
To improve the services of HSI, the state government has allocated RM500,000 for additional parking space for public vehicles and RM100,000 for the purchase of equipment, such as chairs and tables, for the comfort of medical staff and patients.
He said Dr Zaliha will also visit hospitals in the state this Sunday and the state government will discuss the much-needed HSA2 construction project in Johor.
"We hope this matter can be resolved soon because Johor has become a health centre not only for patients from the state but also for patients from all over the country, including Pahang, Negri Sembilan and Melaka. – Bernama