Space constraints hinder hospital’s goal of setting up hostel facilities
IT HAS been almost a year since the announcement under Budget 2013 that the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital in Ipoh would have its own Anjung Kasih hostel facility for families of patients.
However, a lack of space is hindering plans to set up the hostels.
Hospital director Dr Raja Lope Ahmad Raja Ariffin said the hospital was still in the process of searching for a suitable space within its premises to build the living quarters.
“It is a good project. However, the hospital is facing congestion now with shortage of wards and beds for patients.
“So it is quite difficult to find space for it,” he said.
When tabling Budget 2013 last year, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Najib Tun Razak had announced that RM5mil would be allocated to build five Anjung Kasih hostels at hospitals nationwide to provide temporary and comfortable accommodations for poor patients and family members who accompanied them.
There are currently three Anjung Kasih facilities in the country namely in Selayang Hospital (Selangor), Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital (Pahang) and Miri Hospital (Sarawak).
The hostels are complete with basic amenities such as a living room, surau, kitchen and toilets including facilities for the disabled.
Currently, family members of patients at Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital who are from outside Ipoh put up at a small corner beside the intensive care unit (ICU) on the third floor of the hospital.
Y. Itam, 56, said it would be good if the space problem could be solved soon for the convenience of family members and patients travelling from other towns.
“I am relieved that the hospital allows us to stay at this small space because I can visit my husband in the ICU easily, but there are no amenities here and we have to sleep in the open.
“It would be nice if the Anjung Kasih here is completed soon as family members of patients will be able to rest in more comfortable conditions,” said the housewife from Kampar whose husband was admitted in the ICU for an asthma attack.
source:The Star
