The women, family, and community development ministry is taking a serious view of the shortage of beds in maternity wards at government hospitals and will bring its concerns to the health ministry.
Deputy minister Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff said she was confident the health ministry could help resolve this matter soon.
“I will leave it to the officials from my ministry to discuss with the relevant people at the health ministry. We will help each other in every way possible to provide the best service, especially for the facilities in the maternity wards,” she told reporters.
Media reports today said some women had to sit on chairs while waiting to deliver their babies, and some had to wait for days before getting a bed at maternity hospitals.
They also encountered various other difficulties, among them having to be referred to several other hospitals due to the shortage of beds.
Meanwhile, Siti Zailah welcomed contributions from non-governmental organisations and corporate bodies to provide facilities to hospitals that did not have enough beds in the maternity wards.
“I understand the pain a mother feels when she is about to deliver, and I am sure the health ministry will take action to solve this problem,” she said. – FMT