JOHOR BARU: Hospital Sultanah Aminah (HSA), one of the country’s busiest hospitals, was thrust into the national spotlight a decade ago when a deadly fire broke out at its intensive care unit.
The tragedy on Oct 25, 2016, claimed the lives of six patients and raised serious concerns about fire safety and the condition of the century-old hospital’s ageing infrastructure.
Since then, the century-old hospital has received greater attention from the authorities, with major upgrading projects planned and implemented to improve its facilities and healthcare services.
In July 2022, the government allocated about RM140mil to upgrade the hospital’s main building, including its electrical supply and fire prevention systems.
The plan gained further momentum in September 2023, when an additional RM500mil was provided for the first phase of improvements at HSA, including the construction of a multi-storey car park to ease overcrowding.
In December 2024, the ambulatory care centre and multi-storey car park were under development, while upgrades to the main building would cover its electrical and mechanical systems, as well as fire suppression facilities.
ALSO READ: Don’t wait for disaster to act on safety, says Bomba chief
Beyond addressing ageing infrastructure, efforts have also focused on improving patient comfort.
The state government set aside nearly RM700,000 for facility upgrades, while another RM1mil for a smart queue system.
In August, the hospital’s Emergency Department was temporarily relocated to the former maternity ward building to facilitate upgrading works, which were expected to take up to six months.
A further seven development and upgrading projects, costing RM1.139bil including a RM159mil plan to upgrade the hospital’s mechanical and electrical systems, were at various stages of implementation.
Three additional operating theatres costing RM20.7mil had been approved to allow upgrading works on the existing 12 theatres to proceed without disrupting surgical services.
The projects mark a significant push to modernise the hospital’s facilities and improve conditions for patients and healthcare workers.
However, with many of the works still underway, the fire that claimed six lives remains a sombre reminder of the importance of ensuring that hospital facilities are safe, reliable and fit for purpose.
