Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Umno Wanita Chief Datuk Noraini Idris wants the Health Minister to address the parking shortage at the Sabah Women and Children’s Hospital (HWKKS) in Likas, describing the situation as a matter of human dignity rather than mere convenience.
The former senator said she received numerous complaints from pregnant women forced to walk long distances in their condition due to inadequate parking facilities at the hospital.
“I cannot imagine how a mother carrying a small child feels or an anxious husband accompanying his wife who is about to give birth, having to circle around looking for parking while the life and health of their loved ones are at stake,” Noraini said in a statement, here, Thursday.
window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []};googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.defineSlot('/22826383987/dailyexpress_inline', [1, 1], 'gpt-passback').addService(googletag.pubads());googletag.enableServices();googletag.display('gpt-passback');});“This is no longer a matter of comfort. This is a matter of dignity, a matter of humanity,” she said.
She cited cases where heavily pregnant women have had to park as far away as the Kingfisher commercial area and walk to the hospital in hot weather, rain or even while experiencing labour pains.
She noted that the parking issue extends beyond the HWKKS’ to nearly all major hospitals in Sabah, including Queen Elizabeth Hospital I and II, Tawau Hospital and Sandakan Hospital.
Noraini appealed to Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad to seriously consider constructing multi-story parking facilities at HWKKS as a long-term solution to the burden faced by many patients and their families.
She also called on the Sabah Government to step forward and comprehensively resolve the issue.
“Building multi-storey parking is not just about physical infrastructure. It is a symbol of care and humanity,” she said, adding that Sabah women have been patient for too long and it is time their voices are heard and needs properly addressed.