Penang General Hospital
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Penang General Hospital, now
known as Hospital Pulau Pinang and previously as Hospital Besar Pulau
Pinang, is the biggest public hospital in Penang. It is located along
Residency Road, with various departments sprawled over a large area that
includes Tull Road and Sepoy Lines Road. As a public hospital, it provides
health care and emergency treatment for all illnesses and accidents.
The Penang General Hospital traces its history to the Pauper's Hospital
started by Mun Ah Foo, a leader of the Ghee Hin Society in circa 1854. The
aim of the hospital was to provide healthcare to the poor and needy as well
as rehabiliation for opium smokers.
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After Mun Ah Foo had passed on,
the Pauper's Hospital continued to be managed by a committee headed by
Governor Archibald Anson, with representations from the Chinese clan
associations, guilds and other pillars of 19th century society. During this
period, the Leper Hospital was relocated to Pulau Jerejak, where it
functioned until the mid 20th century.
The General Hospital building dates back to 1882. Within the grounds of the
hospital stands a monument commemorating the donars to the hospital, which
count among them both the Ghee Hin as well as Tua Pek Kong Kongsi in 1879 -
a rare show of cooperation between two otherwise antagonistic societies that
fought each other just a decade before, Tan Beng Swee, Noordin and Shaik
Yousoof, various members of the Merican family, and even the King of Siam.
At that time, there was racial segregation. Hence Europeans and
non-Europeans had separate wards. The Ghee Hin Society further donated the
land on which the hospital stands.
The Pauper Hospital became known as the North-East District Hospital in
1906. The relocation and construction of the Penang General Hospital complex
dates from as early as the 1920's. Many of the roads laid out in the
vicinity of the hospital during that period were also named after the
doctors heading the various departments there, among them Ross Road and Tull
Road. The original building eventually made way for the Nurses hostel, which
was constructed in 1930.
The Maternity Hospital, Dental Hospital and Children's Hospital were added
to the complex in the 20th century, and are located on the Sepoy Lines Road
side of Jalan Residensi.
Medical Tourism
The Penang General Hospital is one of the leading centres for medical
tourism. It draws patients from the surrounding region, particularly for its
cosmetic and plastic surgery procedures.
Contact Information
Hospital Pulau Pinang
Jalan Residensi
Pulau Pinang
Tel: 604 222 5333
Getting there
Rapid Penang Bus 304 pass along Jalan Residensi.
Sources: http://www.penang-traveltips.com/penang-general-hospital.htm
