RM5 for 5-star treatment - only in Sarawak

NEW HOPE: Prof Sim showing an echo machine which costs RM1.5 million each.

by Peter Sibon and Phyllis Wong. Posted on December 29, 2010, Wednesday

Local heart patients assured of the best treatment from new SGH Heart Centre

KUCHING: For only RM5, heart patients will get the best cardiac treatment at the new Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) Heart Centre at Kota Samarahan, which starts operations on Jan 1.

SGH Department of Cardiology and Clinical Research Centre head Professor Dr Sim Kui Hian said the heart centre would definitely be the best New Year’s gift for all Sarawakians.
“Sarawakians should be thankful that the new hospital will cater only for local heart patients and not for those from outside the state,” Dr Sim told The Borneo Post at the new centre, located some 8km from here, yesterday.
He said as a government hospital, the SGH Heart Centre would only charge its patients RM5.
“Rest assured that even with a minimal fee of only RM5, patients will have access to one of the best heart care centres in the country. In private hospitals, even if you have RM25,000, there is no guarantee that you will get the best treatment,” he said.
Dr Sim, who obtained his medical degree from Monash University in Australia, is a world-renowned cardiologist and fellow with 11 top notch hospitals worldwide.
At only 44, he is one of the youngest in the country to obtain a Jawatan Utama Sektor Awam or (Jusa) A salary grade, the highest salary scale in the public sector.
He revealed that for a start, the new heart centre would have 60 beds.
Dr Sim said the SGH Heart Centre had taken over the hospital from Sarawak International Medical Centre (SIMC), which had been scrapped.
“The authorities handed over this hospital in July and we are now on the final preparations before we start on Jan 1, 2011,” he said.
The federal government, he said, had given the new hospital a grant of RM29 million to start its operations.
“Basically, we are using the facilities and machines which have already been installed here. We only acquired a few new machines,” he said.
Dr Sim added that the hospital was also preparing for the official opening by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Jan 16.
“We are really thankful to both the state and federal governments for giving us this facility. This is the best chance for medical doctors from Sarawak to shine. And I am inviting other doctors out there to come and join our team,” he added.