MELAKA, July 4 — The federal government has approved an allocation of RM699 million for the construction of a Women and Children’s Hospital next to Melaka Hospital here.

Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh said, however, there are some minor administrative issues at the state government level that need to be resolved before the tender for the construction of the health facility is opened.

"I will take an initial step with the Melaka Health director to discuss simplifying things in this administrative issue so that we can launch the construction which will be tendered by the federal government soon.

"The construction of the Women and Children’s Hospital will bring great benefits to the target group thus reducing overcrowding of patients at Melaka Hospital,” he said here yesterday.

He said this after officiating the 6th National Paramedic Emergency Update Melaka 2024 (I-Premium) which was also attended by Melaka Health director Dr Ruzita Mustaffa.

In another development, Ab Rauf suggested that village clinics in the state could be used for the Melaka Community Paramedic service so that early emergency aid and moral support provided free of charge by the state government could be delivered to the people.

He said so far, 704 people have registered to participate in Melaka Community Paramedics at the level of the State Legislative Assembly Development and Coordination Committee Offices (Japerun) with 188 people successfully completing level one and two paramedic courses coordinated by the Ministry of Health and St John Ambulance.

He said however, out of that number, only 130 of them passed.

"In Budget 2024, the state government has introduced another service to preserve the state’s health sector while taking care of the people through Melaka Community Paramedics in each of the 339 villages under the Village Development and Security Committee (JPKK) and the New Village Development and Security Committee (JPKKB).

"I am confident and believe that by establishing Community Paramedics in these villages and tourist areas, we will to some extent be able to lighten the burden on health workers in addition to be quicker to save someone’s life,” he said.

Earlier, a total of 160 participants among emergency medicine practitioners involving 40 hospitals and clinics nationwide participated in a symposium related to paramedic services for two days starting yesterday. — Bernama