SOS in talks with local hospitals
Published on: Tuesday, October 11, 2016
Kota Kinabalu: The Society for Sabah Heart Fund (SOS Heart Fund) is in talks with several hospitals here to provide treatment for patients locally. Its President Datuk Christine Vanhouten said the society is looking for ways to lower the cost of sending patients for treatment, which sometimes could run up to RM60,000 per patient at present. This means eliminating the additional costs like for food, lodging, travel and pocket money when patients are referred to the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur or in South Korea's Su Jong Yu Hospital (Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul) for treatment, she pointed out. ADVERTISEMENT "As we all know, the cost had gone up now. At the moment we are trying to arrange with some of the local hospitals here to do the operation here locally. "A little fund and donation could go a long way for the patient. There are already good facilities here in Sabah. "But we need the government to okay the finances, since a major part of the cost for treatment is covered by them and only some from the public," she said. Vanhouten said this after handing the SOS Heart Fund donation box to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital II's Sabah Heart Centre here on Monday to collect donations and gather feedback on the treatment facilities in Sabah. ADVERTISEMENT She said there is no longer much need for patients to travel as private hospitals like the Gleneagles Hospital is already capable of treating patients. "By doing so, not only we can save a lot and help more patients, we also eliminate the trauma of flying among patients," said Vanhouten, adding that cost is normally double as patients usually go accompanied for treatment.
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To date, SOS has sent 627 patients for treatment and out of the total, 131 people had gone to Korea and this year they are looking at sending three more patients to Kuala Lumpur and six more to South Korea. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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She said the cost of treatment is cheaper in South Korea as the operations are free by the Su Jong Hospital. Also present at the ceremony were Welfare Department officer Dominic Chong and Queen Elizabeth Hospital's Dr Liew Houng Bang.