KUCHING, 16 Sept: Minister for Local Government and Housing, Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian wants Sarawakians to come together to push for a dedicated cancer specialist hospital to be built in Sarawak.
He said based on consultants’ estimates, such a dedicated cancer hospital will cost around RM600 to RM900 million depending on size and auxiliary facilities.
“It is not just very much needed but long overdue as Sarawak has the 5th highest number of cancer patients in Malaysia,” he revealed in a Facebook post today.
Dr Sim added that currently, Sarawakians are not able to have access to treatment and facilities which cancer patients in other parts of Malaysia enjoy.
Beside that, he also thank Minister of Health Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba for his working visit to Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) last night before leaving for Sibu this morning to attend the Hari Malaysia celebration.
“Tonight (last night), the Minister Of Health and I spoke to a Dayak gentleman with his wife travelling more than 13 hours to SGH for radiotherapy. One country, two standards,” Dr Sim revealed.
They also met a Sarawakian who rushed back from Norway despite the quarantine to be at his father’s bedside at the palliative care ward and expressed great appreciation for the expert care and passion shown by SGH’s nurses and doctors despite limitations of physical space and facilities.
“From the testimony of the patients that we met tonight, I am more inspired than ever to fight for a Cancer Centre for Sarawak. Let’s do it together,” Dr Sim added.
According to Dr Sim, Dr Adham’s visit to SGH yesterday is part of the follow-up to his meeting with Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on the urgent need to have a dedicated cancer specialist hospital in Sarawak. — DayakDaily
