Johor government is in active talks with Health Ministry (MOH) to expedite filling of vacancies at Hospital Pasir Gudang (HPG) to ensure it will be fully operational early next year.
State health and environment committee chairman Ling Tian Soon said MOH was deploying doctors, nurses and support staff in stages but the quota had yet to be achieved.
“Since the hospital’s construction was completed in July, preparations have been progressing steadily to ensure a smooth opening and quality services to the public.
“Several specialist clinics at HPG have already begun receiving patients referred from Hospital Sultanah Aminah and Hospital Sultan Ismail.”
Ling said this helped ease the patient load at the two main hospitals in Johor Baru and also benefitted residents in and around Pasir Gudang by reducing travel time and transportation costs.
He added that HPG was now on a trial run to make sure all systems, workflows and equipment function well before full operation in about two months.
Ling said various medical equipment and supplies had arrived at the hospital, while nearby government clinics had also started referring cases.
“The hospital’s emergency and trauma department is in trial stage, and some emergency cases have already been treated.”
He also said that two inpatient wards (one each for men and women) had opened with 37 beds.
“This marks an important milestone in ensuring that Johoreans, especially residents of Pasir Gudang and its surrounding areas, receive comprehensive healthcare.
“This reflects our efforts in improving healthcare facilities in Johor so that every resident can enjoy high-quality, comfortable and safe medical services in line with the Maju Johor 2030 development agenda,” he added.
In June, the hospital appointed people to key positions such as director and deputy director, and was in the midst of filling more than 1,800 vacancies.
Originally scheduled to open in phases from Aug 1, the opening of the 304-bed HPG has been pushed back until next year due to technical issues, including the lack of healthcare workers.
At the time, the state government and MOH agreed to delay the hospital’s operations to avoid complications.
Located in Bandar Seri Alam, the hospital is set to eventually have 14 specialist clinics.
