Dr Ngian (second left) presents a souvenir to Wong. Looking on from left are Dr Liong and Dr Chen.
SIBU: Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing problems associated with life-threatening illness.
“Many people think that ‘palliative care’ means ‘nothing else can be offered. This is a misconception” said Minister of International Trade and E-Commerce Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh at the launch of World AIDS Day 2017 and Palliative Care Awareness Campaign held at Star Megamall here yesterday.
The campaign themed ‘Right to Health, Get Treated, End AIDS’ was jointly organised by Sibu Hospital and National Cancer Society Malaysia.
Wong, who is also Second Finance Minister, said Sibu Hospital has a palliative team of well-trained nurses working with doctors to provide service to those in need.
Inviting the public to learn more about palliative care and how it could benefit them, he explained that palliative care is specialised care for patients and their care-givers.
“Palliative care focuses on the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification, impeccable assessment, treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual, “ Wong added.
Among others, palliative care offers a support system to help patients live as actively as possible and uses team approach to address the needs of patients and their families, including bereavement and counselling if required.
Wong stressed the need for a caring community to support and help patients and their families.
On AIDS/HIV, he said it is heartening to note that globally as well as within Malaysia, new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths have stabilised; cases of mother-to-child related deaths have stabilised; and cases of mother-to-child transmission had fallen to a 20-year low.
Organising chairman Dr Liong Chee Chiat in his address said celebrating World AIDS Day was to bring across the message that everyone has the right to healthcare, and treatment is available for anyone infected with HIV.
“I think some of us may have not heard about this service. This is because palliative care is a relatively new field – its concept started back in the 1950s.
“Besides providing pain relief for terminal cancer patients, palliative care also provides emotional support to patients, and bereavement care to their families,” Dr Liong added.
Sibu Hospital director Dr Ngian Hie Ung and chairman of Sibu Cancer Care Society, Dr Clement Chen were among those present.