Quality Cardiac Care for an Aging Population in Remote Areas of the Tropics

A renowned specialist healthcare and research facility in Malaysia has taken up the challenge of providing quality cardiac care for aging patients in remote areas of the country who have minimal access to healthcare institutions.

The facility combines the benefits of modern technology, cutting-edge research, and a commitment to patient equality, and has performed up to 20 landmark studies simultaneously on more than 20,000 outpatients. The facility performs 400 treatments including thoracic surgery, coronary artery bypass grafting, valvular repairs, and 800 angiographic procedures annually.

The Sarawak General Hospital Heart Centre (Sarawak, Malaysia) is located in the tropical northwestern part of the Malaysian state of Borneo. The population includes many indigenous tribes and immigrant groups, in large areas of rainforest, some of which can only be reached by aircraft. The center was the first of the government-funded hospitals in Malaysia to offer cardiac Magnetic Resonance (MR), and cardiac Computed Tomography (CT) imaging using state-of-the-art Siemens Healthcare (Erlangen, Germany) equipment. The center also offers modern cardiac care, at an affordable price per visit that includes a medical consultation, laboratory tests, and medications.

Dr. Ong from the Sarawak General Hospital Heart Centre, said, “Patients who come from isolated longhouses (a form of communal dwelling used by indigenous tribes and often lacking basic infrastructure), or vulnerable groups are all treated the same as the wealthy. The center makes no distinction between ‘first-class’ and ‘second-class’ rooms on its wards. This pledge to equality has certainly been a key to the center’s success.”

Related Links:
Sarawak General Hospital Heart Centre
Siemens Healthcare