KANDANG KERBAU HOSPITAL (Upgrading of services and facilities)

Mr Rohan bin Kamis asked the Minister for Health what are the plans to upgrade the services and facilities of Kandang Kerbau Hospital for the convenience of both the public and the staff and is he aware that the condition of the consultation rooms of the specialists clinics is poor and that the current renovations of the hospital wards are disruptive to the services as well as inconvenient to the public.

Mr Howe Yoon Chong: Upgrading of hospital services and facilities.

Wherever feasible continuous efforts are being made by my Ministry to improve the physical environment of all government hospitals and to upgrade their services and facilities. The Kandang Kerbau Hospital (KKH) is no exception. There are however many physical constraints to the extent these improvements can be successful given the existing conditions in the old buildings. Short of demolishing and rebuilding the whole hospital, we cannot expect to upgrade KKH to a standard of accommodation equivalent for instance to the new Singapore General Hospital (SGH). We may therefore have to live with what by modern yardsticks are considered out-of-date and inconvenient services and facilities.

During the last 4 years, we spent a total of $1.1 million improving the facilities in KKH, particularly in the following areas:-

(a) conversion of 4 open Class C wards into Class 62 wards which offer better privacy to the patients. This is in line with patients' rising expectations for better ward accommodation and privacy;

(b) extending patients' waiting areas in the specialist outpatient clinics to accommodate larger numbers of patients;

(c) upgrading the kitchen;

(d) providing aluminium sun screens for the ward blocks.

Next year, the hospital plans to improve the following facilities:-

(a) rebuilding the Boiler House and replacing the old oil-fired boilers with more efficient gas-fired boilers;

(b) upgrading the consultation rooms of the specialists' clinics;

(c) renovation to the nurseries for premature babies to relieve the present congestion.

There are also plans to convert 2 more Class C wards into Class A and B2 wards to meet increasing demand for better ward accommodation.

Consultation Rooms of the Specialist Clinics

There are 14 consultation rooms in KKH. In April this year the Honourable Member for Telok Blangah brought to my Ministry's attention the poor conditions in two of the consultation rooms (Rooms No. 57 and 58).

These two airconditioned rooms on Level 1 of Block I are used by the University O & G Department. Condensation and fungus growth on the ceilings of these rooms were caused by the sterilizers of the Labour Ward which were located immediately above these rooms in Level 2. PWD attempted to solve the problem by applying anti-fungus paint on the ceilings. But the problem recurs and presently repainting is done every other month.

As a long term solution, the University O & G Department will create more consultation rooms for its staff. These will be ready soon and the staff presently occupying Rooms 57 and 58 will move to enable these 2 rooms to be renovated by PWD contractors who will instal suspended false ceilings and provide new furniture which will improve the conditions in these consultation rooms. Renovation of Hospital Wards

There are 3 ward blocks in KKH. Block 11 has 4 levels and houses 272 beds. Many of the pillars in Levels 1, 2 and 3 in Block 11 show signs of cracking. Early this year PWD engineers ascertained that some 52 pillars in all were defective. Though they did not pose structural risks or danger to patients and staff, nevertheless PWD decided that these defective pillars should be reinforced and strengthened with concrete. In the process the utility services had first to be diverted and then put back again.

Remedial works began in August and the contractors were given 15 months to complete the whole job. They have however to do their work level by level starting from the lowest. In the process the wards at each level must be closed down before work could begin. Inevitably these repairs caused much inconvenience to both the patients and the hospital staff. To minimise such inconvenience the hospital diverted as many patients as vacancies could permit in the 0 & G units in Toa Payoh Hospital and Alexandra Hospital. The PWD has also been asked to urge the contractors to expedite their work. But in the interim the disruption and inconvenience to patients and hospital staff alike must be borne with equanimity and tolerance.