(From right) Mohd Aminuddin presenting Star Foundation’s donation of RM100,000 to Ling and Prof Ewe. — YAP CHEE HONG/The Star
STAR Foundation has contributed RM100,000 to Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) Education Foundation for its hospital which is located in Kampar, Perak.
The donation will be used by UTAR Hospital to acquire one dialysis machine and six electrical medical care beds.
In a simple ceremony, the donation was presented by Star Foundation trustee Datuk Dr Mohd Aminuddin Mohd Rouse to UTAR chancellor Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik and UTAR president Prof Dr Ewe Hong Tat at the Sungai Long campus.
Prof Ewe expressed his gratitude to Star Foundation, saying that the dialysis machine and electrical beds would be used by patients every day, benefitting the hospital greatly.
“We thank The Star for raising awareness of our needs among the public. As a result, we have been receiving good response in our fundraising activities for the hospital,” he added.
UTAR established its Medicine and Health Sciences Faculty (FMHS) at its Sungai Long campus in 2009.
It offers the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) as well as other bachelor’s degrees in Chinese medicine, nursing and physiotherapy.
“There was a need for our own teaching hospital where students can receive their clinical training within UTAR grounds, rather than being placed in various local government universities as done previously,” said Prof Ewe.
UTAR Hospital will be separated into three blocks.
The first block is a medical centre, the second is a traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) centre, and the last block is staff residential quarters.
The construction of the hospital started in 2018 and is expected to be completed by January 2023.
The upcoming hospital aims to provide affordable top-quality western and traditional Chinese medical services.
It also aims to provide clinical training for MBBS, traditional Chinese medicine and health science students.
The donation will enable the hospital to provide six medical care electrical beds. — Photo courtesy of UTAR Hospital
The T&CM centre is already fully operational with almost four thousand registered patient visits since it was completed on April 7.
The number of patients is between 70 and 80 per day on appointment basis. Walk-ins are allowed only for emergencies,
At the moment, only traditional Chinese medicine is offered at the centre, said Prof Ewe.
“However, the hospital is looking to expand its services to offer ayurvedic and traditional Malay medicine in the near future.
“Patients who are still recovering from their operations can be treated at our T&CM centre.
“We offer internal medicine, traditional herbal treatment and acupuncture.
“We are also working with India’s ministry of Ayush to bring in staff to impart their knowledge of ayurvedic medicine,” he said.
As for the (Western medicine) medical centre, it is expected to be completed by the end of 2022 and be fully operating by the beginning of 2023.
The facilities will include a bridge that conveniently links the medical and T&CM centres.
