THE Penang Adventist Hospital (PAH) has expressed its commitment to promote a healthy living lifestyle among Penangites.
Its latest project, ‘Healthy Penang 2020’, is aimed at encouraging people to live healthy through statewide weight loss programmes, education, rewards and physical activity events.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said he was pleased to know that PAH was willing to commit RM200,000 for the project.
“The Healthy Penang 2020 is a project that is endorsed by the state government.
“The project is scheduled to start in March next year,” he said in his speech during the hospital’s 95th Anniversary Celebration and Charity Dinner in Setia SPICE Convention Centre today.
Chow hoped that the project could raise awareness about obesity among the people.
“According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Malaysia has the second highest child obesity rate among ASEAN countries.
“It involves children aged five to 19, with 7.1% of the children under age of five being overweight,” Chow said.
A short video presentation showing the history and journey of the hospital was also shown to the guests. The hospital was established by Dr J Earl Gardner in 1924.
Sharing the remarkable feat of the hospital, its Board chairman Pastor Somchai Chuenjit said there are more than 80 specialists at the hospital and it offers more than 27 specialisations using up-to-date equipment and facilities.
“PAH also pride itself by having several charity funds to assist those in need. We have the Patient Heart Fund, Cancer Fund, Welfare Fund, General Fund and Dr J Earl Gardner Fund,” he said.
He also revealed that the hospital would have a new 12-storey tower block and a seven-storey car park to support the increase of patients.
“The tower block will house additional 322 beds, including 260 beds in medical wards, 46 beds in paediatrics wards, 10 beds in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and six beds in High-dependency unit (HDU).
“The expansion project is expected to be ready by 2020,” he said.
Also present were Pulau Tikus assemblyman Chris Lee Chun Kit and PAH’s chief executive officer (CEO) Ronald Koh.
Story by Edmund Lee
Pix by Law Suun Ting
Video by Adleena Rahayu Ahmad Radzi