Sabah urgently needs heart centre — SOSHF
KOTA KINABALU: The Society For The Sabah Heart Fund (SOSHF) hopes Sabah will have a heart centre soon to address the pressing healthcare needs of its population.
Its president, Datuk Eva Susau, said the heart centre is needed to look after 300,000 over congential heart disease (CHD) patients.
“We have a population of around 3.9 million with statistic of one in 100 individuals are born with CHD,” she said in a statement.
Eva said the prevalence of heart-related ailments is on the rise, both globally and within Sabah, and the need for specialized cardiac care has never been more pressing.
Additionally, factors such as lifestyle changes, diet patterns, and an aging population contribute to the increasing burden of heart diseases in Sabah.
“It is no secret that the absence of a specialist health center in Sabah exacerbates
healthcare inequality as patients suffering from major heart conditions are forced to endure the inconvenience of traveling long distances, often at considerable expense, to access essential healthcare services,” she said.
This disparity is particularly acute for those from rural and remote areas, who face additional challenges in accessing adequate medical care and experienced.
Indeed, patients face numerous challenges, including:
1. Long travel distances: Patients must travel long distances, by air, to access specialized cardiac care in West Malaysia, leading to increased financial burden and emotional stress.
2. Disruption to daily life: The need to travel for medical treatment disrupts patients’ daily lives, impacting their ability to work, care for family members, and engage in social activities
3. Grown-up: Our babies are growing up and many are adults. They are growing into adult with congenital heart disease which preferably need special care under a different team of Adult Congenital Heart Disease Cardiologist
Specialist and however if these challenges are addressed it could provide numerous benefits, including:
i. Improved access to healthcare: A local specialist health center would ensure that patients have timely access to essential cardiac care services without the need for long-distance travel.
ii. Enhanced patient outcomes: By providing specialized care closer to home, patients can receive timely interventions, leading to improved treatment outcomes and reduced mortality rates and moral support.
iii. Cost savings: Eliminating the need for costly transportation and
accommodation expenses associated with seeking medical treatment in West Malaysia would result in significant cost savings for patients and their families.
iv. Empowerment of local healthcare professionals: A specialist health center in Sabah would empower local healthcare professionals by providing opportunities for training, skill development, and knowledge exchange, ultimately strengthening the overall healthcare system in the region.
Eva added that last year, SOSHF sent ten young heart patients for corrective heart surgeries. All are successful and the patients are growing well like any other children.
The president also informed that the society will sponsor at least five urgent cases this year and more if more donations and funds are coming in.
“As SOSHF celebrates its 43rd anniversary of success in sending 722 patients for medical treatments since 1981, we also wish to thank all our donors, sponsors, and the state government for their kind support over the years,” she said.