Dr Sim (right) inspecting the new SPECT machine to Sarawak Heart Centre.
KUCHING (Sept 19): The Sarawak government will soon discuss with newly-minted Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin on the proposal to set up a Sarawak Cancer Centre, said Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian.
The Local Government and Housing Minister said due to the recent change of federal government, the engagement on the proposal with their Putrajaya counterpart has to be restarted again, despite discussions on the proposal were already at the finalisation stage with the former Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and previous Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba.
“Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg had been very kind to offer financial options to federal government so that our people in Sarawak can have the best cancer treatment facility locally,” he said.
Dr Sim said this in a Facebook post last night after announcing that a Siemen’s Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) machine costing RM11.63 million had been delivered to the Nuclear Department of Sarawak Heart Centre.
According to him, the proposed Sarawak Cancer Centre would cost between RM800 million and RM900 million.
Dr Sim said cancer treatment is extremely expensive and many could not afford for cancer treatment at private hospitals, even those with insurance coverage.
Meanwhile, Dr Sim said the SPECT machine would greatly increase the capacity of Sarawak Heart Centre to support cancer services in the state.
“Cancer is No.2 disease burden after heart disease in Sarawak. Unfortunately for the people of Sarawak, though we had the medical expertise locally, we urgently need comprehensive cancer facilities locally instead of requiring people to travel to West Malaysia for treatments.”
He pointed out the SPECT machine is the third of the seven medical equipment costing RM62.59 million approved for the year 2020-2021 by the Ministry of Health under the Perikatan Nasional (PN) Plus government.