BATU PAHAT: The Health Ministry has approved a special allocation of RM1.8mil to upgrade facilities at Sultanah Nora Ismail Hospital (HSNI) in an effort to strengthen healthcare service delivery for residents in the Batu Pahat district.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the allocation includes an additional RM800,000 on top of the original amount, with a focus on upgrading the Visitor Centre, as well as improving existing infrastructure and assets at the hospital.
He said the funds will also cover the procurement of medical and non-medical equipment, along with paving works at the hospital’s parking area to enhance the comfort of patients and visitors.
"The ministry’s main focus is to ensure that healthcare facilities at the grassroots level are continuously improved in line with current developments,” he said in a post on his official X account on Sunday (April 19) after concluding a two-day working visit to Batu Pahat.
In addition, Dzulkefly said RM3.421mil has been allocated to upgrade four health clinics in the district, namely the Parit Yaani Health Clinic, Seri Gading Health Clinic, Tongkang Pechah Health Clinic and Parit Raja Health Clinic, to ensure a more equitable distribution of healthcare resources.
He added that the country’s current stability enabled the government to continue investing in the healthcare sector for the benefit of the people despite challenges such as the global energy crisis.
Established in 1894, HSNI currently operates with a capacity of 610 beds and serves more than 500,000 residents in the Batu Pahat area, making it one of the busiest hospitals in Johor after Johor Bahru.
Among the services offered at the hospital are emergency care, paediatrics, anaesthesiology, orthopaedics, as well as psychiatry and mental health services.
During the visit, Dzulkefly also inspected several key facilities, including the proposed site for the Day Treatment Unit, medical wards, the Emergency Department and the Radiology Department, to assess the hospital’s readiness and the quality of services provided.
Also present were Johor health and environment committee chairman Ling Tian Soon; Sri Gading MP Aminolhuda Hassan, Batu Pahat MP Onn Abu Bakar, Penggaram assemblyman Gan Peck Cheng, Johor Health Department director Dr Mohtar Pungut, and HSNI director Dr Fairoz Azlim Muslim. – Bernama
