LETTER | PJ needs another public hospital to help senior citizens

LETTER | In Petaling Jaya, we are facing a growing concern regarding the lack of hospital facilities for senior citizens.

A year ago, former MP Maria Chin Abdullah championed a very important topic, where there is a lack of public hospitals in Petaling Jaya.

This is very true, as there is only one public hospital which is the University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC). With an ageing population, the need for healthcare services tailored to its citizens - what more the elderly - is becoming increasingly critical as healthcare is expensive.

Petaling Jaya is 70 years old and has experienced a significant demographic shift in recent years- with an increasing number of senior citizens in urgent need of affordable proper healthcare services.

Unfortunately, UMMC's existing hospital facilities, although one of the best, are bursting at its seams, and unable to meet the specific healthcare needs of this demographic.

Current issues are as follows:

Overcrowding

Generally, many existing hospitals are often overcrowded, leading to longer wait times and reduced attention to individual patient needs.

Many visitors to UMMC have gone through this ordeal- where the average waiting time can be several hours long.

Lack of specialised care

Malaysia’s geriatric services are among the best, but when a city has too many senior citizens to the ratio of trained doctors, it becomes challenging to address the unique medical needs of seniors effectively.

Limited rehabilitation services

Senior citizens who have suffered stroke and heart problems, often require rehabilitation services.

These are somehow not enough in Klang Valley's healthcare system. There are many private nursing care services sprouting all over the city but sustainable, affordable senior healthcare prices and services are getting out of reach.

Health Ministry facility

Without having another public healthcare facility in Petaling Jaya, it is resulting in expensive diagnosis and treatment, hence exacerbating health issues for senior citizens.

For those who go to public health clinics, the services are not enough, where they may experience reduced and inadequate medical support.

As Maria Chin proposed in the past, the ultimate solution is for the government to set up another public hospital.

Petaling Jaya has enough land to accommodate the idea, as long as local councils do not sell it away to developers.

Some short-term solutions to address the problem are as follows:

• Out of box thinking - collaboration with NGOs

The government should cooperate with NGOs specialising in elderly care to provide additional resources and support.

This can be in the form of creating more geriatric or specialised day-care centres equipped with trained staff and facilities to cater to the emotional needs of senior citizens.

• Focus on geriatric training for healthcare professionals

As Malaysia becomes an aged nation in 20 years, the government should offer training programmes to healthcare professionals to enhance their understanding of geriatric care, ensuring seniors receive appropriate medical attention.

Proper community engagement like the ones done by Alzheimer's Disease Foundation Malaysia (ADFM) has helped promote community engagement and education programmes to raise awareness about various senior healthcare concerns.

Conclusion

The lack of public hospital facilities for senior citizens in Petaling Jaya is a pressing issue, as the city has many many B40 and urban poor folks.

We urgently request Putrajaya to allocate in Budget 2024 the needed resources to address the issue.

Besides addressing the sustainability challenges of a city, it is equally crucial to ensure inclusiveness and the creation of a compassionate society for our senior citizens. After all, we will all grow old.

Writer is the secretary for Section 20 Petaling Jaya Residents Association.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.