Teaching hospital boost for UMS STEP FORWARD: It will provide comprehensive learning process for students, says V-C

09 May 2013| last updated at 11:57PM

UNIVERSITI Malaysia Sabah (UMS) is looking forward to the establishment of a teaching hospital in its School of Medicine.

It's vice-chancellor, Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Harun Abdullah, said the teaching hospital would provide comprehensive learning process for students with the availability of the medical facilities.

"The floor plan is ready and had been approved at the cabinet level. We are awaiting for the Federal Government to proceed with the appointment of contractors."

The School of Medicine had produced five batches of graduates, who had their clinical attachments at Queen Elizabeth Hospital here and Duchess of Kent Hospital in Sandakan. 

He said this after launching the university's two-day Disaster and Emergency Management programme here yesterday. 

The university also aimed to form a special team, comprising medical staff and students, to work with other agencies such as the National Security Council in disaster management.

Harun said the idea to form the special team came following the Lahad Datu intrusion, where emergency aid services was in great need.

"The university is more than willing to lend a helping hand, therefore, the team has to be well trained," he said, adding that such training would also be centred at the teaching hospital in future.

Present were School of Medicine dean Prof Dr D. Kamarudin D. Mudin and Selayang Hospital Emergency Department head Datuk Dr Mohamed Alwi Abdul Rahman.

UMS would also send volunteers with expertise in providing medical and counselling for villagers affected in Lahad Datu.

It had also collected RM8,000 from staff and students for the mission. Earlier in March, they had donated clothes, mattresses and other essentials as their first humanitarian aid for the people there.