SANDAKAN: Global Surgery Initiative which was launched by Ministry of Health in 2023 aims to utilize the surgical expertise from specialist hospitals to support district hospitals in performing essential surgical procedures.
At the core of this initiative is the “cluster concept,” a resource-sharing model that brings together facilities, instruments, and human resources from both specialist and district hospitals.
Recently, this concept has been extended to include public health clinics, allowing for a broader reach to patients in need.
Dr. Lai Chung Ket, the head of the surgical department at Hospital Duchess of kent, has embraced this collaborative approach.
Recognizing that many patients live far from district hospitals, he and his team have taken steps to bring quality surgical care closer to the community.
On February 21, 2025, the Sandakan cluster marked a significant moment as the Global Surgery outreach took place at the Telupid Health Clinic for the first time.
During this event, Dr. Lai offered a public health talk, aiming to share valuable information with those in attendance.
The team also successfully conducted 48 daycare surgical procedures, which included 28 excision biopsies, 12 circumcisions, and 8 hemorrhoid bandings.
Despite facing some challenges with manpower, the event went smoothly, thanks to the generous support from Hospital Kinabatangan and Hospital Beluran, who each sent an operational team to assist.
This outreach not only highlights the potential of the cluster concept but also reflects the dedication of the HDOK surgical team to continually improve their services.
With hopes of extending the Global Surgery Initiative to more health clinics in the future, the team remains committed to ensuring that every patient in the Sandakan cluster—whether from urban, suburban, or rural backgrounds—has access to compassionate and quality surgical care.
Together, they are striving to make a positive impact on the health and well-being of their community.
