PENDANG: In 2004, Mazwani Mahmud was in primary school when she heard the adults talking excitedly about Pendang getting its own public hospital.
She remembered vaguely that at least three ground breaking ceremonies were held throughout the years.
However, nothing was taking shape on the four-hectare site located just opposite her home in Kampung Banggol Pauh here.
All these years, Pendang folk had to travel about 25km to Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Star or 46km to the Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital in Sungai Petani to get treatment for serious illnesses, undergo surgeries and follow-up treatments.
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Their dream of seeing a hospital was revived in April 2018, when then prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak held a ground breaking ceremony for the RM210 million project.
Najib at the time said the hospital was to be completed within 30 months.
Then in early 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak hit, putting a halt to the project.
"To compound matters, the project was affected by the Enhanced Movement Control Order. This has impacted the progress of the project.
"In the post-pandemic phase, the project contractor had faced difficulties to get skilled workers, besides the shortage of building materials which had affected the work performance at the site.
"To overcome the hurdles, the contractor and project team took the initiative to work extra hours to ensure completion of the project.
"All the hard work paid off and thanks to the cooperation and commitment from all parties, the project was finally completed," Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said in his speech at the handing over of the Pendang Hospital project to Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa today.
Present was Tunku Mahkota of Kedah, Tunku Shazuddin Ariff Ibni Al Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin.
The project was finally completed in October and the Pendang Hospital will finally open its door this Feb 15 as a minor specialist hospital at a final cost of RM255.27 million which comprised the construction works, medical and non-medical equipment procurements.
The four-storey hospital, equipped with 126 beds and four operation theatres, is offering emergency, general treatment, general surgery, orthopaedic, anaesthesiology, radiology, obstetrics and gynaecology, pathology, paediatric and physiatry.
Dr Zaliha said the Health Ministry has also approved an additional RM4.5 million allocation to equip Pendang Hospital with a CT Scan machine.
"This hospital will be equipped with a unit of CT Scan machine to allow diagnostic process and treatment to be carried out here more effectively without the need to refer the patients to any major hospitals," she said in her speech.
As a feeder hospital to the major specialist hospitals, Dr Zaliha added that Pendang Hospital will function as a referral hospital for Health Clinics in the district.
For Mazwani and the 110,000 Pendang population, the completion of the hospital was a blessing.
"It's definitely a lot more convenient now for us. Previously I have to travel all the way to Alor Star to attend check-up appointments when I was pregnant," said Mazwani, who just delivered her second child recently.
Mazwani Mahmud, 30, said she is grateful with the construction of a new hospital in Kampung Banggol Pauh, Pendang. -NSTP/AHMAD MUKHSEIN MUKHTAR
For stall operator, Judiah Anduoh, 33, is looking forward to enjoy economic spill-over from the completion of the hospital.
"I'm very excited, my 'warong' is definitely going to get a lot more customers now.
"Business was very good when the construction workers were here but with the arrival of medical staff at the hospital, I'm looking forward to expand my business," she said.
Judiah Anduoh, 33, who runs a cafe just across the street from the hospital said she was excited with her business prospects as the hospital would bring in more customers.
Meanwhile, Pendang Perikatan Nasional (PN) member of parliament Datuk Awang Hashim said: "This hospital will bring about a lot of benefits, not just to the people in Pendang but to residents neighbouring districts as well.
"The hospital will certaintly help to reduce congestion at the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital due to growing population," he said when contacted.
Sungai Tiang Umno assemblyman Datuk Suraya Yaacob paid tribute to Najib for playing pivotal role in realising the Pendang Hospital project.
"I am really grateful that this important project was finally completed and I wish to pay tribute to Najib because he was responsible making the project a reality." she added.
