The Health Ministry has been urged to speed up the construction of the Bandar Baharu Hospital once an allocation is approved.

Kulim-Bandar Baharu Umno division Puteri chief Norsabrina Mohd Noor said Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, during his visit to Bandar Baharu recently, announced that the allocation would be included in the 10th Malaysia Plan.

Norsabrina said the Sultan of Kedah Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah also raised the matter when he opened the state assembly's sitting recently.

She said without their own hospital, Bandar Baharu residents had to seek treatment at two nearby hospitals in Perak, namely the Selama Hospital, 25km away or the Parit Buntar Hospital, 20km away.

The nearest hospital in Kedah for Bandar Baharu residents is the Kulim Hospital, 35km away, she told reporters after leading a "Puteri Caring" delegation from the division visiting patients at the Serdang Health Centre in Bandar Baharu today.

- Bernama