Catering and Dietary Department of Sarawak General Hospital

Catering Services

In Sarawak General Hospital, the catering of patients’ meals and the diet counselling services all comes under one department. It is headed by a dietitian in charge who is a aided by one other dietitian (post not filled at the present moment) and also assisted by only three food supervisors. Preparation of the patients’ food is handled by a total of thirty-three cooks.

Each day, the kitchen prepares food for about 400 to 600 patients. The total number of meals prepared in 1995 (consisting of three main meals and an afternoon tea) was 601,501. The diets prepared follows three main menus, namely, first class, second class and third class menu. Besides normal diets, the kitchen also supplies therapeutic diets for patients requiring specified calorie diets, low protein diets, high protein diets and so on.

Diet Counselling Services

The dietitian also conducts diet counselling sessions for inpatients and as outpatients. During these sessions, patients are advised how to modify their diet as required by their illness such as in diabetes mellitus, hypertension , renal diseases, cardiovascular diseases and so on. A more healthy eating habit is encouraged. Changing of ones eating habits is not easy. Patients are sometimes encouraged to make follow up visits for further encouragement. To see the dietitian, the patient needs to get a referral from a doctor in a government clinic (specialists clinic or the polyclinics).

Patient Education Classes on dietary management of diabetes and hypertension are also regularly held for patients.