(Bandar Seri Begawan, 9th) During the 21st Session of Parliament of 2025, in the second meeting, Member of Parliament Salih queried about the facilities in RIPAS Hospital's first-class wards, asking what measures the Ministry of Health will take to ensure that the comfort and standards of the wards match the fees charged. He pointed out that in recent years, the first-class wards have frequently experienced issues such as broken televisions, subpar furniture, and an overall environment not meeting the 'first-class cabin' standard.
The Ministry of Health responded that a series of actions have already been taken to address these concerns. The Ministry emphasized its focus on the quality of service and the state of facilities in all wards and stated that all complaints are handled seriously.
According to the statement, in the past year, the hospital has repaired over 45 televisions across wards and clinics, with 31 more currently under repair. Furthermore, the hospital plans to further upgrade ward furniture and equipment to enhance comfort and meet fee standards.
The Ministry of Health has set up a special team to regularly inspect first-class ward facilities, ensuring proper asset maintenance and avoiding a reliance solely on complaint-driven repairs. Meanwhile, the outsourced Facilities Engineering Maintenance Service (FEMS) is being advanced to cover comprehensive facility maintenance, including for first-class wards. The relevant tender process has commenced.
In the future, each ward will be equipped with guidelines and official procedures to make it easier for patients and their families to report facility problems or maintenance needs.
The Ministry added that single rooms in Brunei's first-class wards are charged approximately BND175 to BND325, and a comparison has been made with fees in neighboring countries to ensure that the charges are reasonable and commensurate with the services provided.
The Ministry of Health calls on the public to work together in maintaining hospital facilities to ensure all patients receive treatment in a comfortable environment. The Ministry is committed to continuous improvement so that patients and their families are satisfied with the quality of hospital services and the environment.