Visitors to Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun in Ipoh, Perak, are calling for urgent improvement of services, citing gruelling wait times and chaotic conditions at the emergency department.
Jagjit Singh Naranjan Singh, 51, who recently accompanied a friend to the facility in Jalan Raja Ashman Shah for a checkup, said they waited about five hours at the emergency ward just to get a blood test.
He said they had first gone to the Greentown Health Clinic for the procedure, but were directed to the hospital instead.
“We arrived at the hospital at about 10am and waited until 3pm.
“We then waited until about 7pm to see the specialist doctor,” he told StarMetro.
“It is unfair for us to wait the entire day.”
The former lorry driver said his friend had speech and memory issues after suffering a stroke two years ago.
“I have to stay by his side and cannot leave him at the hospital on his own, as I fear he could wander off,” he said.
“His wife is speech-impaired, while most of his children are working in other states, except for one daughter who works at a restaurant during the day.”
Jagjit said this was not the first time he encountered such issues at the hospital.
“I brought another man to the hospital for kidney treatment some time ago, but was told there were insufficient beds to admit him to a ward,” he said.
“I hope the government can improve the situation at the hospital.”
Jagjit hopes the Perak Health Department will consider opening health clinics over the weekend, even for half a day.
“There are a number of health clinics in Ipoh such as in Buntong and Manjoi.
“If these can open on Saturday or Sunday, it would lessen the load at the hospital for non-serious cases,” he said.
Another visitor, who declined to be named, described the emergency ward as disorganised and overcrowded.
“I was there recently after a minor road accident and it seemed chaotic.
“Someone was supposed to take me for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, but I still could not get it done after waiting more than four hours,” she said.
The insurance agent in her late 40s added that long wait times were a recurring issue.
“I understand the hospital is facing manpower issues and understaffed.
“This issue has been ongoing for years, so the Health Ministry needs to intervene.
“Another issue at the emergency ward is the lack of chairs. I have seen people sitting on the floor while waiting for their family members,” she added.
When contacted, Perak Health Department director Datuk Dr Feisul Idzwan Mustapha said he would look into the public complaints.
Stating that the authorities were aware of the need for more beds at the facility, he added: “We will need to improve the infrastructure and continue to make requests to the ministry for it.”
