KUALA LUMPUR, April 17 — The new Hospital for Women and Children at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) is expected to be ready by the end of this year, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
He said the hospital, which began to be built in 2013, involved a cost of about RM848 million and was being developed to upgrade the status of HKL.
“The new Women and Children’s Hospital is proof of the commitment on the Barisan Nasional (BN) government to look after the welfare of the people by providing the best health service to the mothers and children,” he said.
He disclosed this to reporters after having a close look at the Maternity Ward of HKL and the new Women and Children’s Hospital, HKL today.
The Prime Minister spent about an hour visiting patients at the Maternity Ward and inspecting the facilities provided at the new Women and Children’s Hospital.
The Prime Minister was accompanied during the visit by Kuala Lumpur Hospital Director Datin Dr Nor Akma Yusof.
Najib said the payment for child delivery at the HKL was merely RM10, a charge that was minimal compared to the payment imposed in other countries.
“Alhamdulillah, today I have the opportunity to visit the HKL Delivery Ward where I could see how the ward had given excellent services since it was set up in 1963. For the third class ward, the payment is minimal (very cheap),”he said.
He said the purpose of his visit was to give emphasis that the BN government was concerned about health services to the people, especially the women and children, and this was contained in the BN manifesto for the 14th general election (GE14).
“Among the main thrusts in the GE14 manifesto involving mothers and children was ADAM50 or Amanah Dana Anak Malaysia 2050, a scheme that was introduced when the government tabled the 2018 Budget.
“Every Malaysian children born beginning Jan 1, 2018 until Dec 31, 2022 would be presented with an Initial Savings Fund of RM200 through a unit trust share under the scheme,”he said.
The second thrust under the universal child care is giving incentives to companies providing baby care centres and facilities for mothers who breast-feed their babies and implementing the Universal Child Care policy by formulating curriculum, inclusive programme, nutritional food and training professional child minders.
The third thrust is giving priority to the role played by mothers and women, encouraging the private sectors to allow pregnant mothers to return home one hour earlier and widening the tax incentives to 24 months for women returning to the labour market.
Najib said more incentives were being given to women including encouraging the private sector to adopt the policy of Balanced Living and Occupation. — Bernama
