History of Tanjung Rambutan Hospital
Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta is the oldest and most well-known mental health care hospital in Malaysia. Originally known as Tanjung Rambutan Hospital, it is located in Tanjung Rambutan, Perak, 16 km northeast of Ipoh city. Tanjung Rambutan Hospital has 2,600 beds and 79 wards, consisting of 54 male wards and 25 female wards.
Many are aware that Hospital Bahagia offers care, clinical, psychological, moral, and spiritual treatment for those experiencing mental health issues, also known as mental illness, insanity, emotional stress, and other related conditions. However, from a medical perspective, not all patients placed here are out of control; those who are not severely ill are given training in carpentry workshops for men and handicraft workshops for women. Additionally, patients are provided with agricultural training, and all these activities have therapeutic value to help patients calm down and recover.
In 1910, Dr. Samuels proposed that the government build a hospital named the Federal Lunatic Asylum in Tanjung Rambutan. Construction was completed in 1911, and Dr. W.F. Samuels was appointed as the first Medical Superintendent there. In the early stages, the Federal Lunatic Asylum was a psychiatric institution consisting of 3 male wards and one female ward, separated only by a kitchen area.
In 1928, the Federal Lunatic Asylum was renamed the Central Mental Hospital, and in early 1970, the name was changed to Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta to project a more positive image regarding the development of psychiatric treatment. Today, Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta is the largest psychiatric institution among the four existing in Malaysia. The original area of Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta was 544 acres, where approximately 300 acres were used to construct various buildings, and the remainder was used for patient rehabilitation activities such as agriculture, livestock farming, and fishing. However, in 2007, 41 acres were handed over for the construction of the Ulu Kinta Allied Health Sciences College.
