Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPAS) Hospital is the national hospital of Brunei Darussalam and began operations in August 1984. Over the years, RIPAS Hospital has expanded its infrastructure, medical and healthcare services and facilities, with the establishment of specialty and subspecialty departments, upgrades to high-tech equipment and the introduction of critical-care facilities.
RIPAS Hospital is also a major teaching hospital in the country for doctors, medical students and nursing students in collaboration with Institute of Medicine, Universiti Brunei Darussalam and Faculty of Medicine of University of Queensland, Australia.
With the ongoing support of the Brunei government for the hospital’s architecture, infrastructure and facilities, the MoH has made every effort in providing adequate manpower and financial resources. Thus, a strong focus has been given to continuously upgrade the professional skills of its workforce from doctors to nurses and staff members through training and work attachments in various renowned overseas medical establishments.
In November 2018, the MoH announced the relocation of RIPAS Hospital’s Neurology, Neurosurgery and Rehabilitation Services to the Pantai Jerudong Specialist Centre (PJSC). The relocation was made in phases to ensure a systematical and structured transition.
RIPAS Hospital’s aim is to provide Bruneians high quality and sustainable health services as a centre of healthcare excellence. Apart from continuous professional development programmes for its staff, RIPAS Hospital organises health awareness programmes including public lectures, health screening road shows, healthy lifestyle promotions and set up support groups. Moving forward, RIPAS Hospital continues to prioritise improving the quality and standard of health services.
In 2013, the Accident and Emergency Department received 110,000 patients. To ease the patient loads and make the operations more systematic, the Women and Children’s Block was established at RIPAS hospital in 2014, catering specifically to women and children.
The Women and Children’s Block is equipped with high-tech specialist facilities and services, including a Paediatric Ward, Obstetrics and Gynaecology Ward, Children’s Specialist Ward, General Paediatric Ward, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Special Care Baby Unit, Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, Oncology Ward, 13 suites of labour rooms, two operation rooms and a Gynaecology Ward.
After the extensive BND1 million renovation and expansion project at RIPAS hospital, the Accident and Emergency Department now has three areas: the resuscitation area, urgent area and non-urgent area. Each area has had its equipment upgraded and space expanded, and a new emergency ward for children has been introduced.
RIPAS Hospital offers more than 15 clinical specialties, including the Medical Services Department, Surgical Services Department, Accident and Emergency Department, Obstetric and Gynecology Department, Neurosurgery Department and Orthopedic Department.
Jerudong Park Medical Centre (JPMC) is a private specialist hospital in Brunei, and one of the first private hospitals in Brunei to be awarded with the Joint Commission International Awards.
JPMC has several clinics and units including an Outpatient Clinic, Dental Clinic, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Orthopaedics Clinic, Paediatrics, Reproductive Medicine Unit.
The centre offers general, specialised and surgical healthcare services for the public. Its services include cardiology, a healthcare service that treats disorders of the heart as well as parts of the circulatory system; dentistry that provides diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity; dermatology service that provides a diagnosis of a skin condition as well as support, education and treatment planning for chronic skin diseases; Diagnostic Imaging Service that provides a reliable and clear medical imaging service and treatment by continuously enhancing imaging techniques and technology; and others.
For women, the obstetrics and gynaecology clinic provides regular checkups and preventive care. The paediatrics clinic offers medical care to children.
JPMC provides pre-employment health screenings to ensure an individual is fit to work. It also offers In-Patient Services such as the Executive Suite, Seaview Ward and Obstetrics and Gynaecology Ward.
Prior to the year 2003, patients who needed tertiary cardiac care had little choice but to travel overseas for treatment. Now patients can seek treatment at Gleneagles JPMC, Brunei’s only tertiary Cardiac Centre. In 2019, Gleneagles JPMC performed more than 1,200 angiogram studies, 700 coronary interventions and over 200 surgical procedures.
Gleneagles JPMC is a private specialist hospital, a joint venture between the Brunei government and Parkway-Pantai Ltd. The centre has a total of 50 beds distributed within its Intensive Care Unit, Coronary Care Unit and General Ward. Facilities in Gleneagles JPMC include a Specialist Outpatient Clinic, two Cardiac Operating Theatres, two Cardiac Catheterization Labs, a Non-Invasive Cardiac Lab and a Rehabilitation Centre.
Gleneagles JPMC is a pioneer in medical innovation and technology. In 2003, the cardiac centre performed the first coronary stenting and coronary artery bypass graft surgery in the Sultanate. In 2013, Gleneagles JPMC improved its treatment for cardiac rhythm by introducing 3D electrical mapping of the heart for electrophysiology and ablation. In 2014, the very first surgical implantation of a left ventricular assist device into a patient with severe heart failure was performed. Such patients would otherwise have no other treatment choices. More recently, trans-catheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) was introduced in 2016, a procedure which removed the necessity for open heart surgery in certain patients.
Gleneagles JPMC made international headlines when it broadcast live the advanced medical procedures carried out at the centre to the 14th MYLIVE 2017 in Kuala Lumpur – an international cardiology conference which attracted specialists from all over the world. It was the first live telecast of a medical procedure from Brunei. This was followed by a further telecast in 2019 to the ASEAN Federation of Cardiology Congress (AFCC) 2019.
Specialists from Gleneagles JPMC and cardiologists from the Ministry of Health, Brunei have regular meetings to discuss cases to ensure that there is consensus for the best treatment options for cardiac patients. Gleneagles JPMC also invites independent clinical auditors to review its interventional cardiology and surgical cases and outcomes on an annual basis. This is to ensure that its clinical management is in line with international best practice.
The Pantai Jerudong Specialist Centre (PJSC) is a healthcare specialist centre consisting of three centres: The Brunei Cancer Centre (TBCC), Brunei Neuroscience Stroke & Rehabilitation Centre (BNSRC), and Maxillofacial, Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Centre (MFPRSC).
PJSC dedicates its resources to providing comprehensive check-ups, consultations and treating patients with cancer, stroke and other neurological problems with the latest technology evidence based treatment, healthy sporting lifestyle advice and outstanding rehabilitation programmes. The centre also provides quality and tailored medical and rehabilitative treatment to patients with these diseases within the country, around and beyond the region.
Previously known as the National Cancer Centre, The Brunei Cancer Centre (TBCC) was established in 2009. TBCC provides chemotherapy, targetted therapy, immunotherapy, radiotherapy and nuclear medicine therapy. Specialty oncology nurses provide counselling, support and care for patients and their families with specific types of cancer.
TBCC actively participates in clinical studies and international multicentre clinical trials. Their findings are presented in International Oncology Conferences. The centre also participates in teaching undergraduate and postgraduate medical students from the Pengiran Anak Puteri Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah Institute of Health Sciences, Universiti Brunei Darussalam.
In 2016, TBCC received more than 10,000 patients. Patients shared their success stories, cancers now in complete or partial revision following care at TBCC.
Established in 2010, the Brunei Neuroscience Stroke & Rehabilitation Centre (BNSRC) is the largest centre of its kind in Southeast Asia. It was founded on cooperation with an internationally recognised German centre of excellence in neurology, neurorehabilitation and science – the Krankenhaus Nordwest.
Accredited by the acting president of the World Stroke Organization, the centre has saved hundreds of lives and is ready to welcome health tourists from the region and the world over. The centre is equipped with a specialised intensive care stroke unit, neuro-medical, neurosurgical and neurorehabilitation units. It provides neurological checkups, consultations and healthy lifestyle advice.
In addition to cancer treatment and neurorehabilitation, BNSRC provides rehabilitation programmes to support the neighbouring Jerudong Park Medical Centre, receiving referred patients with musculoskeletal/sports, orthopedics and women’s health issues. Previously, patients with neurological and neurosurgical cases were treated overseas. By opening the hybrid operation theatre complex, patients are now treated on site. The centre has performed award-winning clinical and epidemiological studies on up to 5,000 participants, raising the public’s awareness on stroke.
Opened in 2018, the Maxillofacial, Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Centre (MFPRSC) has state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, which are not seen in similar treatment centres in other ASEAN member countries. The centre offers services in the field of maxillofacial, facial plastic, reconstructive surgery, and head and neck surgical oncology. It also offers outpatient care, surgical and laser treatments, cranio-maxillofacial prosthetics and reconstructive implantology services.
With its C6 Medlite Laser, the centre offers treatment for face rejuvenation, pigmentation, tattoo removal and hair removal. Meanwhile, its VBeam Pulse Dyed Laser treats scars, angiomas, AV malformation and port wine stains. In addition to housing a 3D printing laboratory, the centre offers training courses such as the Advanced Training in Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery Trauma. Other courses include the Advanced Diploma in Neuro/Plastic/Cranio-Maxillofacial/Microvascular Surgical Nursing and Diploma for Operation Theatre Assistants, Nursing Student Affiliation, and Training. Internships are also available for medical, dental and nursing students.
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