FOR THE CENTRE: Peter (second right) presents the machines to Yeo (third left) while Selva (fourth left) and others look on.
SIBU: Social Security Organisation (Socso) is spending more each year on members’ dialysis treatment, says Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot.
He said this when presenting two Socso’s haemodialysis machines to St John’s Ambulance Malaysia (Sibu Branch) in Jeriwit Road here yesterday. His text of speech was read by his political secretary Major (R) Peter Runin.
Riot said in 2012, Socso spent RM104.6 million on such assistance, an increase of 13 per cent from RM92.5 million in 2011.
“This year until November, Socso has spent RM96.3 million on assisting in dialysis treatment,” he said. According to him, Socso introduced dialysis treatment assistance to its members since 1999.
He said from Arterior Veneous Fistula (a preparation stage for the patients before the treatment), the assistance had extended to Continuous Ambulatory Partioneal Dialysis (CAPD) in 2003, and Erythropoietin (EPO) injection subsidies in 2009.
“In 2011, Socso provided subsidies for Immunosuppressant (Anti-Rejection) to patients who had undergone kidney replacement.
“Socso not only eased their financial burden, but encouraged them to go for kidney replacement to enable them to lead a normal life,” he said.
Currently, he said, Socso had selected 423 dialysis treatment centres as their panel centres nationwide.
“They include 117 owned by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and 306 private centres.”
Based on Socso record, he said members who suffered from End Stage Renal Failure (ESRF) in Sarawak numbered 312 and they were fully supported by Socso.
“Because of that, Socso has appointed 13 haemodialysis centres as its panel in this state,” he said.
Socso had donated 417 haemodialysis machines with the cost of RM16 million to its panel centres since 1998, he added.
“These include the two machines worth RM80,000 to St John’s Ambulance Malaysia, Sibu branch this morning,” he said.
Also present at the event were Socso chief executive officer Datuk K Selvarajah and St John’s Ambulance Malaysia state commander Dato Yeo Kim Thong.