| Hakim Hayat |
THE Ministry of Health (MoH)’s state-of-the art Berakas Health Centre officially opened its doors to the public yesterday, marking another milestone for the ministry’s promise in delivering quality health services to the community.
Currently the country’s largest health centre, the three-storey $14-million facility, built on a 4.45 hectare site at Zone 1 of RPN Lambak Kanan, caters for residents of Mukim Berakas ‘A’ and Berakas ‘B’, consolidating health centres in Kampong Anggerek Desa and Kampong Sungai Hanching in Mukim Berakas.
The basic healthcare facilities at the Bandar Seri Begawan Health Centre in Jalan Ong Sum Ping have also been transferred and taken over by the new health centre, which now offers extended consultation hours and an appointment system, allowing patients to be given time slots to meet doctors or specialists.
Built on three main goals – giving the best customer experience, making it as a one-stop health centre and engaging in the local community activities – MoH said that this move is also aimed at realisation of its main strategic focus to enhance quality of services through the consolidation of existing services, facilities and infrastructure, providing added-value to patients and the public through the optimisation of resources to avoid wastage.
The state-of-the art Berakas Health Centre
Dato Paduka Dr Awang Haji Zulkarnain bin Haji Hanafi, Minister of Health, speaking to Mukim Penghulus and Village Heads from Mukim Berakas at the opening of the Berakas Health Centre yesterday
Berakas Health Centre also offers dental services. – PHOTOS: MUIZ MATDANI
The centre, which is equipped with a 120-strong medical tram, including 22 doctors and four visiting specialists, offers a range of services which are not usually found in health centre. Some of the additional services provided in the facility are rehabilitation services, a mental health unit, radiology, emergency services, a wellness clinic and bio-medical engineering.
Among the core medical services in the new health centre are primary healthcare, women and children services, dental services, pharmaceutical services, phlebotomy services, a health screening clinic, a nurse-led clinic and a smoking cessation clinic, in addition to nutrition, ophthalmology and vaccination services.
The health centre served its first patient at 7am yesterday, with customer service relations staff assisting patients with their respective appointments.
Speaking to the media on its first day of operations yesterday, Dr Haji Zulhilmi bin Pehin Orang Kaya Hamzah Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdullah, Acting Specialist of Basic Healthcare and in-Charge of the new health centre, disclosed some of the recent customer service improvements.
“With staff on hand to greet patients once they walk in the door, they will be directed to the right place and given assistance, based on their needs,” he said, adding that they had provided the waiting area with sofas, to offer more comfort in a relaxed atmosphere.
Some features unique to the new health centre include a surau, breastfeeding rooms, canteen, ambulance services, a bus stop and a public car park that can accommodate over 100 cars.
Dr Haji Zulhilmi also shed more light on the appointment system, which he said was derived from other health centres in Muara, the old Berakas ‘A’ Health Centre and also from Gadong, “This concept is to offer more convenience to patients, so that they will know which time is best to meet a doctor…This will also help us to organise and ensure the efficiency of operations,” he said.
He explained that patients will have to call or visit the health centre for an appointment, during which they will be given the earlier, or most convenient, time slot on the day itself. Only one appointment is allotted per patient, who will need to arrive at the facility at least half an hour before the set appointment.
In a further drive to deliver excellent services, based on public feedback, the Berakas Health Centre will also be extending its operating hours from 7am to 9pm on Monday to Thursday and Saturday, and from 2pm to 9pm on Friday, Sunday and on public holidays.
Among those present at the health centre’s first day of operations yesterday was Dato Paduka Dr Awang Haji Zulkarnain bin Haji Hanafi, Minister of Health, together with several senior officials from MoH.
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