New Lawas Hospital expected to evolve into specialist centre to cut long‑distance referrals, says deputy health minister

Lawas, September 14 — The newly constructed 76-bed Lawas Hospital is set to transform into a specialist hospital, reducing the need for locals to travel long distances for medical care, according to Deputy Health Minister Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib. Currently, staffing shortages at the hospital limit its full potential, but Hanifah expressed optimism that medical specialists will eventually be permanently based at the facility instead of relying on visiting specialists.

She emphasized the difficulty locals faced in accessing specialist care, which previously required trips to distant hospitals. The new hospital boasts two operating theatres, a patient kitchen, an ICT lab for remote consultations, nine hemodialysis machines, and 76 beds, including four in the High Dependency Ward. Hanifah stressed the importance of comprehensive healthcare facilities in Lawas due to geographical constraints; previously, patients required specialist referrals traveled approximately one and a half hours to Limbang and about three and a half hours to Miri.

Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi, who also participated in the ceremony, highlighted that the RM183 million Lawas Hospital project was developed by the Public Works Department’s Special Project Team 2, utilizing a Design and Build method by MCS Management Sdn Bhd. Linggi expressed confidence that the hospital would enhance community access to quality healthcare and serve as a catalyst for improving healthcare service delivery in Lawas.