By Former Sandakan MP Chong Hon Min
SANDAKAN: Following the earlier government announcement approving an allocation of RM80 million to upgrade the cardiac centre at Hospital Queen Elizabeth II in Kota Kinabalu into a national-level cardiac specialist centre for Sabah received good response from general public.
However, there are also calls for the government to more comprehensively review the distribution of healthcare resources across Sabah particularly the long standing lack of cardiac specialist services in Sandakan and the east coast region.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim approved the allocation on 20 April 2024 & the State minister has recently confirmed that the upgrading works are progressing as planned. This initiative will undoubtedly enhance healthcare standards in Kota Kinabalu & benefit residents on the west coast.
However, a recent collaboration agreement between Yayasan Sabah and the National Heart Institute to establish a cardiac specialist hospital has reportedly locating the facility in Kota Kinabalu & there are concerns from the east coast.
Sandakan is the second largest city in Sabah having a dense population & serves a wide catchment area covering Beluran, Kota Kinabatangan etc. Despite this, the region still lacks cardiac specialist medical facilities.
Patients suffering from heart disease are often forced to travel long distances to Kota Kinabalu or even Peninsular Malaysia for treatment resulting in delayed care & increased financial & emotional burdens.
It is well known that heart disease is a highvrisk medical emergency where every second counts. Without access to nearby specialist facilities, patients risk missing the critical “golden window” for life-saving treatment during transfer.
In contrast, establishing a cardiac specialist hospital in Sandakan would significantly improve emergency response outcomes while also easing the burden on healthcare facilities in Kota Kinabalu & enabling a more balanced regional distribution of services.
Furthermore from a regional development perspective, concentrating advanced medical facilities on the west coast risks exacerbating urban rural & regional disparities. The east coast has long lagged behind in infrastructure and healthcare resources. Missing the opportunity to establish a cardiac specialist centre there would only widen this gap & undermine overall social equity.
In light of this, I urge the government to uphold principles of fairness and inclusivity when advancing its healthcare development plans & to reassess the location of the proposed cardiac specialist hospital. With the upgrading of facilities in Kota Kinabalu already underway, priority should now be given to establishing another cardiac centre in Sandakan to meet the urgent needs of the entire east coast region.
He also expressed hope that the government will seriously heed public opinion & adopt a long term strategic approach in resource allocation to ensure that people across all regions of Sabah can enjoy equal access to quality healthcare & that the benefits of national development are shared by all.
