KUCHING, Feb 4: Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Dudong branch chairman Wong Ching Yong has questioned what happened to the heart and cancer centres proposed by Lanang MP Alice Lau in September 2022.
In a statement today, Wong said there have been no updates since after Lau revealed the proposal.
“Now the Minister of Health is a new one; what is her next step of action? Has she followed up or submitted another proposal?” asked Wong.
Wong said at the moment, there is only one heart centre in Sarawak, and patients, including those in Central Sarawak, have been forced to travel far for medical treatment.
He said heart disease patients from the Central Region can only go to the Samarahan Heart Centre and private medical centres in Kuching to receive better treatment.
He also said that heart patients from the central region often have to bear additional costs, such as air tickets, and there is also the problem of insufficient flights.
According to him, if a heart centre is set up in Sibu, it will serve a population of over 900,000 residing in the divisions of Sibu, Mukah, Bintulu, Kapit, Betong and Sarikei,”
“If a full-scale heart centre cannot be built in the early stage, at least a satellite heart centre can be set up to handle specific disease needs and then gradually be upgraded to a full-scale heart centre.
“The people of Sibu have the right to demand that the two current Sibu MPs, namely Alice Lau and Oscar Ling, walk the talk by informing the people of Sibu of their plans and actions on how to bring a heart centre to Sibu because health is under federal jurisdiction,” he said. — DayakDaily
