The Ministry of Health (MoH) is planning to upgrade old hospital buildings and build new facilities to provide more comfort for patients and their families, Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar said.
The projects include a new block at Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Hospital, an expanded emergency block at Suri Seri Begawan Hospital in Kuala Belait, and two new health centres and two laboratories, the minister said during the muzakarah session with Legislative Council members yesterday.
Good healthcare relies on a safe and efficient infrastructure capable of supporting a growing population and future services, he said.
The minister also highlighted that the ministry was aware about the importance of increasing revenue and reducing debts for the government.
He said, “Insya Allah, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the MoH will soon make an announcement related to foreign workers’ insurance which is hoped to reduce the risk of the employer bearing the cost of hospital treatment if workers are admitted to hospital.
“The MoH is committed to improving healthcare to be a sustainable and inclusive system benefiting the community and supporting the economy.” The muzakarah session aims to address current issues and develop practical future plans through proactive efforts with all parties playing their role and taking the responsibility, Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham said.
The minister also highlighted the MoH’s main focus on tackling non-communicable diseases through screening for early detection and prevention.
He urged the residents to use the health screening programme for early detections of conditions such as colorectal cancer, breast cancer, heart disease and diabetes early. This will not only reduce treatment costs, but will also reduce complications, while also having a high chance of recovery, he said.
The ministry has also taken the opportunity to use high technology by incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) in helping medical specialists managing treatment.
In October, the MoH introduced the National Diabetes Retinopathy Screening Programme using AI through the use of EyRIS SELENA+ system. The screening through Eye Iris and AI software provides very encouraging results in early detection of referable diabetic retinopathy, which requires treatment among patients, and at the same time, increasing the percentage of patient attendance to carry out eye screening taking into account the use of AI system which only takes about five to 10 minutes.
The MoH also introduced genomic screening for cervical cancer to detect mutations linked to increased cancer risk. An individual with such mutations can opt for monitoring, early treatment or preventive measures to reduce complications. The approach also enables personalised treatment plans, improving effectiveness and minimising side effects, he said.
Permanent Secretary at the MoH Haji Maswadi bin Haji Mohsin, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Health (Professional) at the MoH Dr Hajah Rafidah binti Haji Gharif and Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary of Health (Policy and Management) at the MoH Pengiran Mohammad Khiruddin bin Pengiran Haji Yusoff were also present. – James Kon
