Jamilah (right) presents gifts to a heart patient. Also seen are Teng (left) and Kon. — Photo by Chimon Upon

 

KOTA SAMARAHAN: Sarawak Heart Foundation (SHF) has donated close to RM40 million worth of healthcare equipment and assistance to heart patients in the state since 1988.

The foundation first set up the cause at Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) before proceeding to the SGH Heart Centre here, having transformed itself to be more than just a financial provider by running health-related events such as seminars, exhibitions, public forums, health screenings and physical campaigns.

“These are the platforms for us (SHF) to reach out to the people to raise public awareness on heart-related diseases more effectively and also to identify patients requiring assistance and support from the foundation,” SHF Board of Trustee member Datin Patinggi Datuk Jamilah Anu told reporters during a visit to the heart centre yesterday.

She said besides providing free health checks, the event would also include doctors and specialists such as cardiologists and pediatricians providing free advice.

The foundation, she assured, would not sideline heart patients from district hospitals as some of them would also be provided with assistance during their transfer to the heart centre here.

“Prior to this, we assisted patients especially babies referred to Singapore at a cost of RM30,000 to RM40,000 per patient.

“With our very own heart centre, we can save a lot of money,” she said.

On another note, Jamilah said the most expensive medical equipment that the foundation had donated to SGH was a CT scanner costing around RM4 million.

The latest equipment donated by the foundation was a RM1.4-million machine for specialists at the centre to conduct invasive medical procedures.

The objectives of the foundation, Jamilah said, would be impossible without the cumulative support and assistance from the donors as well as their members, doctors, specialists and the federal government.

“It is vital that everyone works together on this.”

Meanwhile, the visit yesterday saw Jamilah handing over equipment worth RM20,000 which consisted of two exercise bicycles and a set of wireless audio system to the Physiotherapy Department, an emergency trolley to the Nuclear Medicine Department, as well as three hot and cold water coolers.

Jamilah also presented gifts and ‘duit raya’ totaling RM10,000 to patients here.

SGH Heart Centre director Dr Asri Riffin, its Clinical Research Centre head Dr Alan Fong Yean Yip and SHF Board of Trustees members Dato Anne Teng, Pauline Kon and Eric Lim were among those joining the visit.