JAMES (centre)
SELANGOR: The Sabah National Heart Center (PJN) needs to be equipped with advanced equipment including the number of staff as found at the Sultan Idris Shah Serdang Heart Hospital.
Sabah Community Development and People’s Wellbeing Minister and State Health Exco, Datuk James Ratib said that modern equipment and a sufficient number of staff make it easier for heart patients in the state to get treatment more effectively and are able to reduce the risk to patients.
“In Sabah we are currently faced with a lack of facilities and staff, especially cardiologists who are able to provide the best services to heart patients in the state.
“Therefore, it is hoped that the Ministry of Health (KKM), especially the Federal Government, will speed up the distribution of allocations to PJN Sabah to complete medical facilities and increase staff so that heart patients can be given more effective treatment,” he said.
He stated this when making an official visit to the Sultan Idris Shah Serdang Heart Hospital on Monday.
He said, after the Prime Minister’s announcement about the Sabah IJN recently, the matter was welcomed by the State Government and it needs to be built immediately because the cost of heart treatment for a patient costs a lot of money when referred to a cardiologist in the Peninsula.
At the same time, he also suggested that the Public Service Department (JPA) review the post grades for specialist doctors serving in the state of Sabah to be in line with the posts held to prevent them from leaving the public service.
“In line with the current health challenges, the post grades for specialist doctors in Sabah also need to be reviewed. I understand that the job grade for cardiologists in Sabah is still at the UD 56 level, although the workload is very heavy,” he stressed.
Last April, the Prime Minister during his visit to Sabah announced that the Queen Elizabeth 2 Hospital (HQE2) would be rebranded as the Sabah National Heart Center to meet the state’s heart treatment needs.
He also announced an allocation of RM80 million to upgrade the hospital and add three cardiologists and 120 trained support staff.
During the visit, James was also taken to see several heart treatment rooms equipped with various advanced equipment in addition to listening to briefings from several specialist doctors at the hospital.
Also present is Dr. Farique Rizal bin Abdul Hamid, Director of Sultan Idris Shah Hospital, Datuk Dr. Abdul Kahar bin Abd Ghapar, Director of the Heart Hospital, Petrus Mojuntin, Special Officer of the Minister of Community Development and Sabah People’s Well-Being as well as the Heads of the Heart Hospital Unit concerned.