SARAWAK Chief Minister Abang Johari Abang Openg wants a computed tomography (CT) scanner to be installed at the new Sri Aman Hospital in Simanggang, which costs RM200 million and has 108 beds.

A CT scanner is an equipment that uses a computer and combination of X-rays to create pictures of a patient’s bones, organs and other tissues. It shows more details than a regular X-ray.

Sarawak Housing and Local Government Minister Dr Sim Kui Hian said he has been instructed to convey the request to the Health Ministry, as health is under the purview of the federal government.

Sim had yesterday accompanied the chief minister on a tour of the hospital, which may be operational early next year.

Sim, in a Facebook post, said “if need (be)”, the state government is willing to purchase the equipment “for the people of Sarawak”.

One of the reasons why the hospital should have a CT scanner is because Simanggang, about 140km from Kuching, is a major town on the Pan Borneo Highway, he said, adding that any road accident victim referred to it will have the best equipment and care available.

The hospital – which is 96% completed – has been rated as a specialist hospital with a “comprehensive secondary care level”.

Apart from general medicine and surgery, specialist services include anaesthesiology, orthopaedics, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, psychiatry, rehabilitation (physiotherapy and occupational therapy), pathology level II and blood transfusion services, and imaging and emergency services.

During the tour, Abang Johari was told that the hospital will have three operating theatres, one intensive care unit, a specialist clinic, haemodialysis unit with 14 machines, pathology lab and an imaging unit, but no CT scanner. – October 22, 2021.