SEREMBAN: The Pakatan Harapan government should not be promising better health services, especially when it had ordered the closure of Mawar Medical Centre (MMC), says Barisan Nasional's Rantau candidate Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
"I have come to know that the owner of the Mawar Medical Centre (MMC), which was closed down by the Health Ministry, had offered to let the government take over the hospital, including Mawar Haemodialysis Centre (MHC), for RM25mil.
"What is RM25mil when it comes to providing services for the 800 patients requiring dialysis treatment who now have to queue for days to use the machines at the already crowded Hospital Tuanku Jaafar in Seremban?
"Even if the Health Ministry does not want to continue the hospital, it should not have closed down MHC, which caters to the needs of 800 patients. I understand three patients have died since, perhaps from other causes," said Mohamad.
Mohamad was speaking to reporters at the Barisan command centre in Rantau before attending wedding receptions in the area as part of his campaigning.
MHC, which ranked among the country's largest non-profit private dialysis centres, was forced to stop treating patients on Feb 14 as it did not have the funds to operate.
The MHC management said it was forced to close its 13 centres as the Health Ministry did not approve an application for a new licence to operate its private wing, the MMC.
The MHC was part financed by revenue generated by the MMC.
Mohamad, who was the Mentri Besar of Negeri Sembilan before the last general election, said that the MMC started with the setting up of the haemodialysis centre.
"At the time it was shut down, it was running in four shifts and catering to 800 patients nationwide.
"There was no rationale for closing the much-needed haemodialysis centre and push them to other overcrowded hospitals. I would have taken it over in the blink of an eye if I had been offered it for RM25mil," said Mohamad.
"Do not deny health services to the people just because the hospital was owned by people aligned to Barisan. Pakatan should be a government for everyone and unbiased in providing the service needed by the people.
"The Pakatan government should not have too much ego," said Mohamad.
He pointed out that closing down the MHC was ironic in view of promises of bettering the health services in Rantau by Pakatan leaders.- Star
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