Gleneagles Medical Centre

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Gleneagles Medical Centre is one of the earliest private hospitals in Penang. The idea of founding it came about from a group of businessmen, namely the late Tan Sri Dato' Loh Boon Siew, Dato' Tan Kim Yeow, Choong Eng Kim, Dato' Yeap Hock Hoe, Tuan Hajee Mayen Abubacker and Dr R.N. Pannikar, who persuaded several senior and highly reputable consultants of the Penang General Hospital to establish a private medical centre. Despite some hesitation and fear, the doctors consented.

Gleneagles Medical Centre (11 April 2009)
© Timothy Tye using this photo

Initially, the medical centre was to be known as Cantonment Medical Specialist Centre. The company was incorporated on 12 February 1971. It was to be sited on a plot of land at the junction of Cantonment Road and Bell Road. Unfortunately the building in which it was to be housed was razed in a fire. After the incident, the team decided upon a 2.5 acre piece of land on Pangkor Road. Constructed began in May 1972, and the hospital opened on 1 July, 1973, under the name of Penang Medical Centre, or PMC. The original building was three storeys high, and had 70 beds. It provided a wide range of medical services and had two operating theatres.

Since its opening, the hospital had expanded several times, with more storeys added to the original structure. In 1989, it changed its name to Gleneagles Medical Centre, when Gleneagles International, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parkway Holdings became the majority shareowner of the company.

Getting there

Rapid Penang Buses Nos. 101, 103 and 104 pass along Pangkor Road. However, note that the bus may not be able to stop at Pangkor Road, and will have to drop you at a bus stop nearest.