Sibu Hospital gets help from KTS-BLD Foundation
SIBU: Sibu Hospital has received RM343,500 worth of medical equipment from KTS-BLD Foundation, a charitable body set up by KTS Group of Companies.
The Group’s deputy managing director Temenggong Dato Vincent Lau handed over the items to Sibu Hospital director Dr Nanthakumar Thirunavukkarasu at Rejang Hall at the hospital yesterday.
Among the items were 10 units of Enteral Feeding Pump and feeding bags, 10 units of Syringe Pumps, 10 units of Infusion Pumps, eight units of GE B105 Patient Monitors, and four units of Fisher and Paykel PT101UK AIRVO2 Humidifiers with integrated flow generator.
Present to witness the handover were Local Government and Housing Assistant Minister Dr Annuar Rapaee, Senator Robert Lau Hui Yew, Bawang Assan assemblyman Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, Bukit Assek assemblywoman Irene Chang, Pelawan assemblyman David Wong, paediatrician Dr Toh Teck Hock and United Chinese Association Sibu president Ngieng Ping Sing.
Dr Nanthakumar said the contribution was one of the largest he had received from a single corporation, adding that all the items would benefit the hospital’s patients.
“Right now, our resources are becoming less. What is happening now is that Sibu Hospital is catering for a bigger division. Patients from Kapit, Betong, Mukah, and Daro for example, will end up in our hospital.
“So, we need more equipment. If we do not have the necessary equipment, sometimes it can cause morbidity or mortality. So, we need to avoid that,” he said at the event.
He said that although Sibu Hospital was still lacking, many improvements in terms of facilities had been made, including equipment to cater to the needs of Covid-19 patients.
Dr Nanthakumar revealed that as of now, Sibu Hospital has three Intensive Care Units (ICU), of which two cater for Covid-19 patients with 31 beds, and one ICU for non Covid-19 patients with 17 beds.
He also said that despite the patients increasing all the time, he was confident that the hospital was still able to keep up.
“We have discharged about 3,000 Covid-19 patients. Right now, we have about 600 patients in the hospital and another about 600 patients at the LowRisk Covid-19 Quarantine and Treatment Centre.
“Yes, we can see the trend is going up, but I am quite confident to say that we are able to handle this,” he said, adding that the government’s assistance had also helped the hospital to cope.
Meanwhile, Dr Annuar said he had ensured that the items received yesterday were as needed by the hospital, disclosing that he had had discussions with Dr Nanthakumar to determine what was needed to care for Covid-19 patients.
“I thank KTS-BLD Foundation for donating these machines. Some are for monitoring patients, this is very important because Covid-19 patients can deteriorate very fast, they need to be closely monitored especially the symptomatic ones. So, all these items are for that purpose,” he pointed out.
Vincent also said at the event that KTS-BLD Foundation was happy to be able to help the hospital in terms of providing equipment to ease the shortage in the hospital.
“Even though the amount is quite substantial, we feel that we need to help. We as a business organisation, we also pay a lot of emphasis on corporate social responsibility (CSR).
“I hope that what we are doing right now will also be emulated by others to make Sibu a caring society,” he said.
He also hoped that the government would continue to provide the much-needed facilities at Sibu Hospital.
“The frontliners have been working tirelessly to ensure the situation is under control and they are the people whom we must thank. We must also do our part,” he said.
Meanwhile, Soon Koh called on Sarawakians to be vigilant in combating Covid-19 and comply with the SOP.
Right now, our resources are becoming less. What is happening now is that Sibu Hospital is catering for a bigger division. Patients from Kapit, Betong, Mukah, and Daro for example, will end up in our hospital.
Dr Nanthakumar Thirunavukkarasu