Portable Oxygen Concentrator Machines for Four Hospitals in Sarawak

Early this year, the Foundation successfully raised RM140,000 for the purchase of four units of portable oxygen concentrator machines for four hospitals in Sarawak.

The Foundation would like to thank Sarawak Plantation Agriculture Development Berhad, Reservoir Link Energy Sdn Bhd and Perbena Emas Sdn Bhd for their sponsorships of the machines that were given to Sarawak General Hospital, Sibu Hospital, and Bintulu Hospital respectively. The Foundation donated one to Miri Hospital.

The portable oxygen concentrator is important equipment which provides continuous uninterrupted oxygen supply to sick children in situations when conventional oxygen supply using bulky and heavy oxygen tank is not possible such as during inter-hospital transfer by flight.

The fund raising for the machines was a response to an appeal from Sarawak Heart Centre. As dedicated paediatric cardiac service is only available at Sarawak Heart Centre, transfer of sick children suffering from serious heart problems happens frequently between the four major hospitals using medivac or flights. Similarly, cases requiring urgent surgery in Institut Jantung Negara have to be transferred to
Kuala Lumpur using commercial flights. The portable oxygen concentrator becomes an indispensable tool, without which timely transfer of patients to receive lifesaving treatment will be impossible.

The existing machines in Bintulu Hospital and Sarawak General Hospital break down frequently whereas the ones in Sibu Hospital and Miri Hospital are faulty beyond economical repair. Replacement is long overdue but the Heart Centre could not secure any funds from the Ministry of Health.

The machines were handed over to the four hospitals in May 2021.