JOHOR BARU: The Johor Health Department has acknowledged that two out of the 13 lifts at Sultan Ismail Hospital (HSI) are severely damaged and have not yet been repaired as they are still awaiting replacement parts from overseas suppliers.
The situation is exacerbated by the fact that the remaining lifts occasionally experience minor malfunctions, causing discomfort for staff and complicating matters for visitors and patients seeking treatment at the hospital.
However, its director Dr Mohtar Pungut said they were continuously striving to improve the lift services at HSI, which is over 20 years old, and they understand the public's concerns.
He said maintenance work on the lifts was being actively carried out by the appointed concessionaire, with the project being monitored by the hospital management.
"Investigations by the department's engineering division and HSI management have found that two lifts are severely damaged and are still awaiting replacement parts from overseas suppliers.
"During the period when the two lifts are completely non-functional, minor malfunctions have also occurred alternately in the other lifts, leading to congestion, delays, and discomfort for the lift users.
"As a result, HSI management is working to repair the damage and improve the repair process on an ongoing basis," he said in a statement here yesterday.
A viral post on social media alleged that the lifts at HSI had been broken for years with no solution in sight.
It also claimed that the existing lifts frequently broke down, making it difficult to transport patients, especially those undergoing caesarean sections and chronic patients using oxygen.
This situation is also said to have caused delays for the nutrition department staff in delivering meals to patients.
Additionally, some patients attending follow-up appointments were forced to use the stairs, even though they were not physically able.
Dr Mohtar apologised to HSI users for the inconvenience they have experienced and urged them to be patient until the situation returned to normal.