KPJ Healthcare Berhad

First specialist hospital for Perlis

The Sun, Tuesday, 12 July 2011

KUALA LUMPUR~ KPJ Healthcare Bhd (KPJ), Malaysia’s largest private specialist hospital operator, will jointly develop a RM47 million specialist hospital in Perlis --its first such venture in the state-- with the Perlis Islamic Foundation (YIPs).

KPJ and YIPs signed an agreement yesterday to set up a 60:40 joint venture company, Perlis Specialist Hospital Sdn Bhd, which will develop the Perlis Specialist Hospital on a 1.72ha piece of land provided by YIPs in Kangar.

KPJ managing director Datin Paduka Siti Sa’diah Sheikh Bakir said "We continue to expand our network in order to bring much needed healthcare services to various locations in the country."

The hospital, which is expected to serve the people in Perlis, Langkawi, north of Kedah and the Thailand border, is expected to begin operations before end-2013. The ground breaking is set for November.

"The development of this new hospital will not only benefit the 50,000 population in Kangar, but will also be a boon for the people living in other towns in Perlis," said Perlis Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Md Isa Sabu, who is also chairman of YIPs. He added that the population in Kangar would no longer have to travel far to places such as Alor Setar and Penang to receive specialist treatment.

Siti Sa’diah said the 6-storey hospital will have a built-up of 125,000 sq ft, so specialist doctors, a total of 400 staff and 90-bed capacity, which can be increased according to needs, while the RM47 million will be spent on developing the hospital and purchasing equipment.

According to her, Phase 1 of the hospital will cost RM32 million and consist of 60 beds and diagnostic equipment while Phase 2 will have another 30 beds or more, depending on the need, at a cost of about RM10 million or more. Overall, the hospital will provide facilities such as three operation rooms. an intensive care unit and labour room, as well as services such as physiotherapy, haemodialysis, accident and emergency, and 24-hour outpatient services. The Perlis Specialist Hospital will be the 27th hospital for KPJ upon completion.

Siti Sa’diah said KPJ usually breaks even in their second year of operations and expects to get back returns from the development of the new hospital within three to four years.

KPJ is also expecting to open its KPJ Klang Specialist Hospital end of this year as well as Muar Specialist Hospital and Pasir Gudang Hospital in Johor next year.

It is also developing a hospital each in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah Bandar Dato’ Onn, Johor; and Tanjung Lumpur, Kuantan in Pahang.

KPJ treats over two million patients annually at over 20 locations in Malaysia and two in Indonesia.

Last year, it recorded a net profit of RM745 million on revenue of RM1.66 billion while its market capitalisation as of last Friday was RM2.59 billion.