FUND RAISING FOR MEDICAL EQUIPMENT FOR SETTING UP OF CARDIAC UNIT IN BINTULU HOSPITAL

The Sarawak Heart Foundation is raising RM2,049,800.00 for medical equipment for the setting up of a cardiac unit in Bintulu Hospital. Some of the basic infrastructure is already in place there and this funding can see the commencement of cardiology services in Bintulu this year. Cardiologists from Sarawak Heart Centre will be assigned to take care of the patients in Bintulu Hospital.

Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (PETROS) responded to the Foundation’s appeal with a contribution of RM1.6 million for the cardiac unit following Bintulu Port Holdings Berhad’s sponsorship of RM150,000.

Sarawak Heart Foundation Deputy Chairman YB Datuk Amar Prof Dr Sim Kui Hian (fourth right) and Board Trustee, Datin Patinggi Datuk Amar Jamilah Binti Haji Anu (fifth right) receiving a mock cheque for RM1.6 million for the proposed cardiac unit in Bintulu Hospital from PETROS chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr Hamid Bugo at his office at Dewan Undangan Negeri Sarawak, Kuching on 12 November 2024.

Sarawak Heart Foundation Deputy Chairman YB Datuk Amar Prof Dr Sim Kui Hian (fourth right) receiving a mock cheque for RM150,000.00 for the proposed cardiac unit in Bintulu Hospital from Chief Executive Officer of Bintulu Port Holdings Berhad Encik Ruslan bin Abdul Ghani at his office at Wisma Bapa Malaysia Kuching on 4 November 2024.

The medical equipment and upgrades for the proposed cardiac unit cover: –

#	ITEMS	COST (RM)
1	ICL upgrade
	Cardiac software and hardware, including haemodynamics	528,000
	ICL echo machine – add cardiac software and transducer	80,000
	IABP (1 unit)	610,000
	TPM – single chamber (1 unit)	13,000
	TPM – dual chamber (1 unit)	23,000
2	NICL upgrade
	Mid-range echo machine	480,000
	Holter	165,800
3	CCU upgrade
	CVVHD machine	120,000
	ECG machine	30,000
	TOTAL	2,049,800

The cardiac unit will be able to address the immediate needs of Bintulu Hospital in providing cardiology services to patients in the Northern Region of Sarawak. Presently, heart patients in Bintulu and the Northern Region of the State have to be referred to Sarawak Heart Centre in Kuching.

The Foundation has been working closely with the Sarawak Heart Centre to upgrade facilities and services to improve access and care for cardiac patients in Sarawak through fundraising and collaboration with corporate donors. However, access to Sarawak Heart Centre located in Kota Samarahan remains a challenge for many patients and carers from other parts of Sarawak, including Bintulu, due to the physical distance that they have to travel.

The Foundation also has plans to complement the government’s efforts in establishing cardiology services at Sibu Hospital and Miri Hospital through seed funding as the process of upgrading existing infrastructures and setting up of new services can take a number of months or years.

Last year, the Foundation successfully raised RM2.02 million for a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine scheduled to be installed in Sibu Hospital upon the completion of the MRI room next year.

The Foundation was set up in 1996 as a charity to promote a heart-healthy community in Sarawak. It has been working closely with the Sarawak Heart Centre in providing the best cardiac service care to the people in Sarawak especially the needy who cannot afford the high medical expenses. The Foundation holds public health exhibitions, health talks as well as free health screening regularly to increase public awareness on heart disease and the importance of healthy and active lifestyles.

Apart from the upgrading of the present equipment at the Heart Centre, the Foundation also provides grants and sponsorships to hospitals, institutions of higher learning and professionals in the medical field to enable them to carry out research on heart-related diseases.

Dated: 12 November 2024