Bandar Seri Begawan - The project to build the new Women and Children Clinic of RIPAS Hospital is ahead of schedule.

The contractors have completed 38.9 per cent of the new block compared to an expected 36.2 per cent, the Minister of Health, Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awg Hj Adanan bin Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Awg Hj Mohd Yusof said yesterday after a site visit.

The new block is scheduled to be completed in March 2014 and will have nine floors which will house obstetric wards, paediatric ward (onco haemoto), paediatric ward (general), doctors' offices, pediatric ward (hdu/picu), day ward, neonatal ward, labour ward, clinic and public area and first-class ward. The new block will accommodate 382 beds as well as basement car parks.

Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awg Hj Adanan visited the work site to identify any issues and obtain feedbacks from ministry officials and the contractors to ensure that the project runs smoothly and that the new block meets the building specifications.

During the visit by His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office in June 2012, it was highlighted that the project will include two floors of basement parking with direct exit to the Hassanal Bolkiah Highway.

The service road will be constructed to ease traffic jam as well as upgrade the entry and exit road of the hospital. The scope of work includes formulating a one-way road system at RIPAS Hospital to ease the traffic flow.

Obstetric service staff received 6,851 patients in 2010, while paediatric service staff received about 6,298 patients, which are far greater than any other services.

The Women and Children Clinic aims to reduce this burden.

The bed capacity in the Children's Ward will be increased by 45 per cent, while the number of bed in the Maternity Ward will be increased by up to 51 per cent.