Sarawak badly needs cancer institute – Dr Sim
KUCHING: Sarawak needs a cancer institute like the Heart Centre for Sarawakian cancer patients who cannot afford the medical expenses.
Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian said this would enable cancer patients to be treated locally instead of being sent to the National Cancer Institute in Putrajaya or to the non-profit organisation, National Cancer Society of Malaysia ( NCSM) in Johor Bahru, which is costly.
“We (the state government) have been asking for funds up to RM400 million for the purpose of setting up a proper cancer institute in Sarawak just like our Heart Centre. The Ministry of Health has to take the initiatives to agree and we are constantly proposing to have one till to this very day.
“We will continue to ask until we get one, bearing in mind that the no. 1 disease is heart, and no. 2 is cancer.
“Can you imagine – if we don’t have a heart centre, everyone has to fly to Kuala Lumpur or Putrajaya or go to a private hospital and pay a humongous price? Cancer is similar and a lot more expensive than heart,” said Dr Sim when met by reporters yesterday.
He also said that going through a few cycles of chemotherapy and radiotherapy would easily cost approximately RM100,000.
“In addition to the expensive treatment, cancer medication is also very expensive, especially the latest medication which is said to have less side effects, but pricy.
“Unfortunately, we kept on asking federal government, because health is a federal matter and even until now, we keep on pushing for it. Technically, it is too far for Sarawakian cancer patients to travel and especially when you have to do treatments (chemotherapy and radiotherapy) for a few cycles,” he said.
He added once Sarawak has its own cancer centre, the state would have a full range of equipment including Positron Emission Tomography ( PET) Scan which is nuclear and Computed Tomography ( CT) combined together, or Magnetic Resonance Imaging ( MRI).
He said the Sarawak General Hospital ( SGH) has a few nuclear scans but has yet to have combined nuclear and CT or MRI.
“They have stand alone nuclear scan, stand alone CT scan and stand alone MRI but it will be much easier of they have one 2-in-1 machine,” he said.
He pointed out that presently cancer patients in SGH had to wait their turn depending on urgency to go for PET Scan, CT Scan or MRI and sometimes the government through the Health Ministry had to buy ‘services’ from private hospitals who have better and latest technology and equipment.
“PET Scan is important not just to diagnose but also to monitor progress or to prognosis, and PET Scan allows you to see the molecular level.
“We have good expertise but no optimal equipment, if they (federal government) can give us the equipment, we have the people. Once we have the cancer centre, we will have a full range of equipment.
“Cancer patients from Sarawak at the moment (those referred by SGH) still need to go to Putrajaya or Johor Bahru because our equipments are not sophisticated.
“This is our challenge in Sarawak as compared to West Malaysia where they have many cancer services providers,” he said.
He added that was the very reason why Sarawak should have its autonomy back, including health autonomy.
“We want to take the whole health services back to Sarawak, and Sarawak can control its own health. Once we have our health autonomy, we can have everything, all doctors, nurses, specialists, we will manage it ourselves, and no longer depending on Kuala Lumpur or Putrajaya,” he said.