He said the new Bintulu Hopsital, which was fully operational in May this year, would be given the boost when the Health Minsitry has identified suitable candidates to be deployed there.

"The Ministry has already identified Bintulu hospital as being the place to provide specialists' services to the local residents. Currently, a surgeon engaged on contractual basis has been attached to the hospital.
"As for other specialists' services such as the pediatric, orthopedic, ENT, obstetrics and gynecology, the Ministry is still finding suitable candidates to be placed at the hospital", he said after receiving response to his question from the Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Suleiman Mohamed at the Parliament session today.

He said although the Bintulu new hospital had yet to be categorised as a specialist hospital, efforts have been made to place specialists at the hopsital. It will take some time as the support staff and the equipment was still insufficient.

Dato' Seri Tiong said currently, the Ministry has approved a Grade U2 medical officer (administration) and it was now occupied by a Grade U3 medical officer.

As for Grade U3 medical officer posts, 15 posts have been approved but 12 of the approved posts have been filled. For the posts of nurses Grade U7, all four posts have been filled up while nurses Grade U18, 160 posts have been approved but only 83 nurses were placed at the hospital.

Dato' Seri Tiong reiterated that public members could expect 
excellent health services as Bintulu Hospital has the capacity 
and the manpower in doing so.

However, in cases where specialists' services are needed, patients will be referred to the nearest hospital in Miri, At the same time, specialists from the Sarawak General Hospital in Kuching and Miri will be sent on scheduled visits to provide the necessary services needed by the people from time to time.

"For emergency and referral cases, it is inconvenient and cumbersome to send patients to Miri as the distance between Bintulu and Miri is more than 200 Km. It is especially difficult at night when patients need to be sent to Miri. 
"Realizing this, I will take this matter up and I will appeal to the Health Ministry to upgrade the facilities and equipment at the new hospital, apart from asking to add more manpower especially in obtaining specialists to be permanently based at the hopsital", he added.

Dato' Seri Tiong said as for serious cases, there was a need to have specialists based here due to the growing industrial accidents in Bintulu which had over the years developed into an industrial area.

He added that Bintulu being a rapidly growing township with a total population of more than 120,000 people and contributing a huge income to the country, there was a pressing need to have the Bintulu hospital properly equipped with sufficient facilities and personnel.