Kota Kinabalu: Some 400 patients in the less fortunate category will benefit from the gift of 400 adjustable beds and 200 ripple mattresses worth RM1 million, recently.
The items from the Malaysian Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints was received by State Minister of Community Development and People’s Wellbeing (KPMKR), Datuk James Ratib.
“It is a blessing when we receive support from you all. This is surely very good news, especially to less fortunate patients who are in need of such equipment,” he said.
James, who is also Sugut Assemblyman, said the Homeward programme is one of the services under the Sabah Welfare Services Department.
“The concept of this programme is to assist patients by providing loans for medical rehabilitation support equipment on a ‘loaner cycle’ basis throughout Sabah.
“The objective, among others, is to provide medical rehabilitation support equipment to assist the recipients of chronic bedridden patient assistance, elderly, persons with disabilities and patients from palliative care towards improving the quality of patient care.
“It is also to provide opportunities for patients to undergo rehabilitation and care in a family environment as well as to support the people in need directly under the Sabah Maju Jaya initiative,” he said.
He said this can also reduce the number of applications for admission to our Institutions for the elderly and disabled that already have residents with maximum capacity.
“It also managed to shorten the duration of waiting queues from 200 days to 100 days. And patients who have undergone treatment in the hospital can go home immediately and undergo home recovery,” he said.
James also said Petronas Foundation donated 405 adjustable beds and 13 oxygen concentrations.
He said the implementation of phase 1 of the Homeward programme from January to April 2022 was successfully implemented and had an excellent effect on more than 400 patients in need.
“However, this amount cannot cover the real needs in Sabah. The department has a total of more than 2,000 recipients of Chronic Patient Assistance,” he said.
Also present were Director Of Sabah Welfare Services Department, Jais Asri, Deputy Director Of Sabah
Welfare Services Department, Ali Hassan Kahar and Executive Secretary of Sabah Community Service Council, Joeanne Lee.
