Summary
- Penang health authorities apologise following complaints over long waiting times at Penang Hospital.
- Viral video highlighted conditions at the Emergency and Trauma Department.
- Patients are treated according to medical urgency, not arrival time.
- Upgrade works to expand treatment space are expected to finish by end-2026.
- Two additional hospital blocks are planned for completion by 2027 and 2029.
GEORGE TOWN, August 22 — Penang health authorities have apologised after a viral video raised concerns over lengthy nighttime waits at Penang Hospital’s Emergency and Trauma Department.
The Penang State Health Department said patients are prioritised through triage, with critical Red and semi-critical Yellow Zone cases treated ahead of non-emergency Green Zone patients.
Waiting times may also depend on blood tests, further examinations and specialist reviews. Penang Hospital is upgrading outpatient space to expand emergency treatment capacity.
With completion expected by year-end. A new Women and Children’s Block, including a larger emergency department, is targeted for 2027, followed by another specialist and ward block in 2029.
