Johor bahru: Hospital Pasir Gudang (HPG), officially handed over to the Ministry of Health today, will commence operations in phases starting August 1, as announced by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad. The initial phase will cover 30 percent of core services, including Accident and Emergency, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and the Paediatric Department.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Dr Dzulkefly disclosed that 274 positions have been filled so far, with plans to become fully operational with 1,845 staff by July 2026. This statement was made during a press conference following the HPG project handover ceremony. Public Works Department director-general Datuk Roslan Ismail was also present at the event.
Dr Dzulkefly explained that HPG’s capacity of over 300 beds will alleviate the workload at Johor Bahru’s two main hospitals, Hospital Sultanah Aminah and Hospital Sultan Ismail, especially in managing emergency cases and stable patients. This initiative aligns with Johor’s anticipated population growth, projected to reach 3.90 million by 2025, up from 3.35 million in 2010, with an annual growth rate of two percent, particularly in Johor Bahru.
In his earlier remarks, Dr Dzulkefly highlighted that HPG is the first hospital to provide approximately 20 on-call suites for specialist doctors, aiming to prioritize their welfare and ensure staff comfort. Despite challenges posed by the Movement Control Order, HPG’s construction consistently remained ahead of schedule and was never categorized as a delayed or ‘sick’ project.
Dr Dzulkefly emphasized that HPG sets a benchmark for meticulous planning and integrated implementation, fulfilling public expectations. The hospital’s opening increases the number of specialist hospitals in Johor to eight, which is expected to ease congestion at Hospital Sultanah Aminah by reducing its bed occupancy rate by five to 10 percent within two years through the transfer of stable patients.
He further noted that with HPG’s full operation, the waiting time for elective surgery services at Hospital Sultanah Aminah is expected to be reduced by 30 percent within the first two years.