BUTTERWORTH: The RM234,000 donation to the Bukit Mertajam Hospital for upgrading works by Datuk Lee Chong Wei (pic) will be able to benefit people living in the area, says Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

       "The Health Ministry and I thank and extend our appreciation to the Lee Chong Wei Foundation for the contribution to upgrade the Bukit Mertajam Hospital's emergency unit," said Dr Noor Hisham in a tweet on Saturday (Sept 18)

       Lee had donated RM234,000 to the hospital through his foundation on Friday (Sept 17)

       Meanwhile, Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim Chee Keong said the funds will provide 32 extra beds for the hospital to cater to Covid-19 patients.

       "This increase in capacity at the Bukit Mertajam Hospital will enable serious Covid-19 cases to get early treatment while waiting to be transferred to the Penang Hospital's intensive care unit," he said.

       Sim extended his gratitude to Lee and said that work had already begun to expand the hospital’s capacity.

       In July this year the Bukit Mertajam Hospital was converted into a Covid-19 hybrid hospital following the increase in the number of cases in the state.