The state assembly at Kuala Terengganu today was told that 1,323 babies from Besut, near the Terengganu-Kelantan border, were born in Kelantan between 2007 and 2009.     

State Health, Unity and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Abdul Rahman Mokhtar said this was because many expectant mothers to wanted to deliver their babies at Besut Hospital were forced to be sent to Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital (HUSM) in Kubang Kerian and Raja Perempuan Zainab II Hospital (HRPZ II) in Kota Baharu because the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital (HSNZ) in Kuala Terengganu was further away.     

"During the 2007-2009 period, 7,859 mothers chose to deliver their babies at  Besut Hospital. However, of this figure, 1,323 with complications had to be sent to HUSM and HRPZ II to deliver their babies," he said in reply to a supplementary question from Ramlan Ali (BN-Jabi) on Terengganu babies, especially from Besut which borders Pasir Puteh in Kelantan, being born in Kelantan.     

Ramlan said this was a serious matter and that mothers having problems to deliver their babies should as far as possible be sent to HSNZ.     

"The state Health Department should immediately look into this to avoid mothers in Terengganu having to deliver their babies in another state."     

Earlier, Abdul Rahman was asked by Muhammad Pehimi Yusof (BN-Kota Putera) on the number of expectant mothers who went to Besut Hospital to give birth in the last three years but were forced to be sent to HRPZ II in Kota Baharu.         

He said the maternity ward at HSNZ was already crowded, so it was better for the expectant mothers with complications to go to HRPZ II and hence, their babies became Kelantan-born.     

Abdul Rahman said the problem was expected to be overcome with the completion of a new maternity ward at HSNZ soon.     

He said the state government was also asking the Health Ministry to upgrade Besut Hospital by recruiting specialists to handle critical cases so that the expectant mothers concerned needed not be sent to HUSM.

- Bernama