PETALING JAYA: The Health Ministry is taking steps to improve conditions at Taiping Hospital.
The Star earlier reported that staff sometimes administer CPR on the floor due to a lack of basic equipment.
The 145-year-old hospital is struggling with ageing infrastructure despite recent global awards for stroke and emergency care.
Issues include old equipment, faulty air conditioning and a critical need for upgrades.
Sources said the hospital is chronically short of beds, especially in the overcrowded Emergency Department.
Patients are left waiting on canvas cots or on the floor, they said.
“We are aware of this, and steps to improve the conditions are underway,” the ministry told The Star.
On November 13, the hospital’s woes surfaced on Facebook via a video by Neow Choo Seong.
Neow is Deputy Prime Minister II special officer, and the MCA Youth information chief.
He said he made a surprise visit after complaints that patients were sleeping on the floor.
In the video, a staff member said patients sit on chairs while waiting for wards when canvas beds run out.
She also said that during peak periods, CPR had to be administered on the floor.
The video showed air conditioning issues at the Psychiatric Unit and a pile of broken tiles.
The two-minute clip mostly featured Neow speaking to staff members.
Neow told The Star he was informed that some repair works would take place soon.
“This includes fixing the tiles and air conditioners at the psychiatric ward,” he said.
Neow said the hospital will receive 10 beds next week from NGOs and private donors.
He said that about 100 beds are needed to meet the patient volume, and some of the beds are too old.
“They need funding from the Federal Government. I will submit a report to the Health Ministry,” he added.
He said he would recommend relocating the hospital to a new site with sufficient parking.
According to the Health Ministry's website, Taiping Hospital was the first in the country to have X-ray facilities.
It gained the equipment soon after its invention by German scientist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen.
