KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 20 — Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah today advised mothers to always be vigilant of their children’s health in the wake of emerging infectious diseases.
Her Majesty called on all mothers not to take their children’s ailments lightly.
“To mothers, I would like to advise that it is our duty to ensure our children grow up healthy as they are a gift from Allah.
“Don’t wait for their fever to last a week to bring them to hospital because, nowadays, there are so many diseases.
“I’ve heard about Kawasaki (a rare syndrome involving inflammation of the blood vessels due to viral or bacterial infection) and Chikungunya as well,” she said in her speech during the opening ceremony of Tunku Azizah Hospital (HTA), formerly known as Kuala Lumpur Women’s and Children’s Hospital, in Kuala Lumpur.
The queen was accompanied by her daughter Tengku Puteri Raja Tengku Puteri Jihan Azizah ‘Athiyatullah.
Also present were Health Minister Dr Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad, Health director-general Dr Datuk Noor Hisham Abdullah and HTA director Dr Roniyuzam Abdul Malek.
Tunku Azizah said she always cared for her children’s health, from birth to adulthood.
“I would make sure that they (her children) get immunised as per the government’s immunisation programme from birth to their school-going years because ensuring the health of children is important for future generations,” she said.
In her speech, Tunku Azizah congratulated the government for establishing a special hospital for women and children, and extended her thanks to the HTA for naming it after her.
Tunku Azizah also visited the hospital’s stem cell transplant and reproductive medical centres.
HTA is the first government hospital built under the private finance initiative in collaboration with UEM Group Bhd and Najcom Sdn Bhd.
HTA, which began operations on February 25, 2019, serves as a National Referral Hospital and a centre of excellence providing specialised services for women and children (obstetrics, gynaecology and paediatric).
The hospital has a capacity of 378 beds for the paediatric ward, obstetrics and gynaecology (222), intensive care unit (24), paediatric care unit (32), neonatal intensive care (50), bone marrow transplant (16) and eight beds each for the paediatric burn bath and apheresis daycare unit.
HTA has three operating theatres for gynaecological surgery, paediatric (9), hybrid neuro (1), maternity (2), gynaecology chemotherapy suite (8) and a reproductive medical centre.
— Bernama
