Walk the talk on building heart, cancer centres, MPs in Sibu told
Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Dudong branch chairman Wong Ching Yong is calling upon the two members of Parliament here to ‘walk the talk’ when it comes to building heart and cancer centres in Sibu.
In response to Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian’s recent statement about the state’s progress in fighting for its health autonomy, currently still under federal jurisdiction, Ching Yong says the people have the right to demand that Lanang MP Alice Lau and Sibu MP Oscar Ling inform them about their plans and actions on how to establish a heart centre in Sibu.
Ching Yong also points out that the much-needed heart and cancer centres here would serve a population of over 900,000 residing in the divisions of Sibu, Mukah, Bintulu, Kapit, Betong and Sarikei.
“Data shows that 141 out of every 100,000 people in the country suffer from coronary heart disease, and this shows the huge demand for heart disease treatment.
“Sarawak is no exception, but for many years, there has been only one heart centre in Sarawak, and patients including those in central Sarawak have been forced to travel far for medical treatment,” he told reporters during SUPP Dudong’s mobile service session at a coffee shop here, yesterday.
“If Sibu had a heart centre, not only it would be beneficial to the Sibu people, but also to those in Sarikei, Bintangor, Mukah, Dalat, Kapit and even Bintulu.”
Ching Yong pointed out that heart disease patients in the central region had to go to the Sarawak Heart Centre in Kota Samarahan, or to other private medical centres in Kuching to receive better treatment.
“Sadly, these patients often have to bear additional costs such as air tickets, and there is also the problem of insufficient flights. Although land transportation is feasible, it takes a long time and it may be inconvenient for the patients, especially in emergencies, where every second counts.”
“As I have suggested many times, if a full-scale heart centre could not be built in the early stage, at least a satellite heart centre could be set up in Sibu to handle a specific level of needs, to which it could gradually be upgraded to a full-scale heart centre,” he said.
SUPP Dudong vice-chairman Dr Wong Chya Wei, meanwhile, said it was vital that a satellite heart centre be set up not only in the central region of Sarawak, but in the northern region as well.
“Sarawak is such a vast state, but we only have one heart centre near Kuching,” he said, adding that it would be good to have one satellite centre in each region as heart disease is still very prevalent in this country.
Also present was SUPP Dudong advisor Datuk Dr Soon Choon Teck.