Kota Kinabalu: Hundreds of friends, colleagues and patients turned up, Thursday, to pay their last respects to what even his colleagues rated as easily one of the best orthopaedic surgeons in government service.Many were in tears as they struggled to get to grips with what could have driven Dr Baskaran Subramaniam to consume paraquat and end his life when so many needed him. Many were murmuring who could be the mystery woman who sent him home at 1pm on Tuesday and why home instead of to the hospital where he was admitted an hour later by his worried family. He had taken leave that day and is believed to have consumed the weedkiller in the morning.ADVERTISEMENT They opined that the woman may have been selfish in not rushing him to the hospital because she was afraid her identity would be known as he was already suffering from the effects by then. They said it should be easy to trace from his handphone to find out what she knew about the doctor's state of mind then or who were the people he had been communicating with the past 48 hours."He was a committed and experienced doctor who was well liked by patients and colleagues," said State Health Director Dr Christina Rundi. "The Sabah Health Department would like to record its appreciation for the excellent and distinguished service rendered to the State."ADVERTISEMENT Dr Baskaran who served at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) died at 7.30pm Wednesday, 36 hours after he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. His remains were cremated at the Fook Lu Siew funeral parlour. He was 45.
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He left behind a wife and three young daughters. Sports Medicine Unit Head, Dr Mariam George Mathew said she knew him since 2003 working as a team under the Orthopaedic Department in QEH. "We worked as a formidable team É he was also a very hardworking and caring surgeon who always wanted the best for his patients. The words that I vividly remember him saying during clinic sessions were 'How lah Mariam! Patients are suffering in pain and their application for financial aid for total hip and knee implants are taking ages! How to help them!"He would then pace up and down in the clinic looking helpless while scratching his head - I just don't know how to help them! I just don't know how to help them! He went out of his way to help others - he wanted to light up the lives of others. "Nonetheless, I firmly believe he was a very determined person and knew what he wanted," she said, adding the orthopaedic team of QEH would always remember him as one of their "super hero" surgeons.Consultant Radiologist Dr K. Ravi Mandalam described Dr Baskaran, who was from Sitiawan, Perak, as a very skilled orthopaedic surgeon, particularly experienced in joint surgery, hip and knee replacement."He was a very caring doctor who has helped a lot of patients, particularly poor patients all over Sabah during the long years of service in QEH," he said, adding that he was a quiet and very unassuming person. Eighty-year-old Alex Hueng said he had knee problems seven years ago and that it took only six hours for Dr Baskaran to make it good."He always came and looked after me and within 11 days I was limping but I could walk. I'm supposed to have an appointment with him on April 25 but now he is no more. It is a great loss, in fact I have recommended a lot of my friends to come and see him because what he does, he does properly," he said. Neurosurgeon Dr Pulivendhan Sellamuthu who knew Dr Baskaran since 2004 described him as the best of friends, helpful, caring and a fantastic team player with high passion for patient care, not selfish and who wanted the best for all his patients. Another colleague said Dr Baskaran was a good friend and a colleague who was an excellent and compassionate doctor who had touched many lives. "He had inspired many young doctors to be surgeons. His family's loss is Sabah's loss," he said. Former State Health Director Datuk Dr Yusof Ibrahim who was also at the funeral parlour described him as the finest orthopaedic surgeon. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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"He was a great friend who looked after me, he was easy to work with, no complaints. His death is shocking," he said.