KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 — KPJ Healthcare Bhd (KPJ) expects to see a gradual recovery in terms of the number of patients seeking its healthcare services towards year-end, and remains optimistic on its long-term outlook, barring any second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Chairman Datuk Yusli Mohamed Yusoff said the healthcare provider’s occupancy rate improved to 40 per cent in June this year from 31 per cent in May and about 20 per cent in April, following the government’s move to ease the movement control order (MCO) to revive the economy.
“We have been extremely fortunate to have a young population who help to grow the economy even though this year has been extremely challenging for industries across the board, worldwide,” he told a virtual media conference following KPJ’s 27th annual general meeting today.
He said Malaysia had been very quick in dealing with the pandemic, and KPJ is now focusing on ensuring the safety of its patients and employees.
Meanwhile, Group Finance and Investor Relations vice-president Norhaizam Mohammad said KPJ’s results for the second quarter is likely to be affected by the MCO.
“We implemented the standard operating procedure imposed by the government for the safety of our patients and staff, and we saw that the number of patients have increased.
“Therefore we are targeting that the number will improve in the second half of 2020, but of course, it will not be the same as what was recorded in 2019,” she said.
On the group’s expansion plan, president and managing director, Ahmad Shahizam Mohd Shariff said following the MCO, most of KPJ’s expansion projects had to be suspended.
“Whatever projects that we had going into the MCO, we are continuing in terms of getting them completed or finalised.
“But some of the earlier projects, the ones which have yet to commence in terms of construction or are in the early planning, those are now being reviewed,” he said, adding that KPJ has decided to defer its plan to construct a few more hospitals, including the one in Damansara 2, to next year. — Bernama
