Paya Jaras clinic referring patients to better-equipped clinics, not turning them away, says KJ

THE PAYA JARAS Health Clinic has not been turning patients away, but is referring those with chronic diseases who need more comprehensive treatment to better-equipped clinics, says Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

"The Paya Jaras clinic was established in the 1970s as a village clinic before being upgraded to a health clinic in 2015 to provide more extensive services," he said.

However, he said the clinic was built to cater to a population of 5,000, but Paya Jaras now has over 120,000.

He added the clinic had been referring patients to clinics with better facilities and offering lab tests, such as in Kota Damansara or Sungai Buloh.

"It is also difficult to expand the Paya Jaras clinic as it is located by the roadside and there is limited space," he said.

Khairy, who is Barisan Nasional's Sungai Buloh candidate, was speaking in response to Paya Jaras assemblyman Mohd Khairuddin Othman's claims that patients were being diverted to other health clinics located further away.

"I will look into building a bigger Paya Jaras clinic so patients with chronic diseases don't have to travel as far to seek treatment.

"The Paya Jaras clinic has never turned away patients. It will treat patients within its capacity and only refer them to other health clinics if they need more extensive treatment," said Khairy when met at an event at Dataran Pasar Tani, Kampung Melayu Subang here on Monday (Nov 7).