A new satellite heart centre at Hospital Sibu, equipped with a specialised cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine, is set to change cardiac care for central Sarawak.
This advanced technology means patients from across the region, including Bintulu, will no longer need to travel to Kuching for the service, making Hospital Sibu only the second hospital in the state to offer such a facility.
Deputy Premier Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian said the installation was made possible through a strategic collaboration between Sarawak Heart Foundation and Health Ministry.
While the machine’s market value is estimated at between RM8mil and RM9mil, it was acquired at about RM2.6mil following an exchange agreement.
The foundation contributed RM2.5mil toward the upgrading of the technology.
“All this is the result of meticulous planning and close collaboration between the state government, the Federal Government and the foundation to ensure that Sarawakians have better access to cardiac treatment,” Dr Sim said during his visit to Hospital Sibu.
“While waiting for the room to be ready, the supplier offered the latest model that is more sophisticated and specific for cardiac imaging,” he added.
The machine was originally allocated for Sarawak General Hospital and Sarawak Heart Centre.
However, due to space upgrades being delayed at the original site, the unit was diverted to Hospital Sibu instead.
Dr Sim, who is also Sarawak Public Health, Housing and Local Government Minister, explained that cardiac MRI was a vital diagnostic tool for assessing heart muscle health.
“This technology allows doctors to identify whether the heart muscle is still functioning.
“If the muscle is completely damaged, treatments such as balloons or bypasses may not benefit the patient,” he explained.
The diagnostic imaging helps doctors determine whether invasive treatments such as bypass surgery or angioplasty are appropriate for a patient.
Dr Sim said Health Ministry was managing the tender process for the construction of cardiac catheterisation laboratories (cath labs) at major hospitals, including Sibu and Miri, as well as facilities in Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia.
“When completed, angiogram and angioplasty procedures can be performed at local hospitals, reducing the need for patients to be referred to Kuching and helping to ease congestion at the Sarawak Heart Centre,” he said.
He noted that construction was expected to take at least a year once the tender was finalised.
“These developments align with improvements at Hospital Bintulu, which recently received angiography equipment worth more than RM2mil through the Sarawak Heart Foundation.
“This upgrade allows visiting cardiologists to handle non-critical cases monthly and provides a baseline for treating emergency cases locally,” he said.
With the addition of the cardiac MRI machine and upcoming cath lab, Dr Sim said Hospital Sibu was expected to emerge as one of the most comprehensive satellite cardiac centres in the state.
Also present during the visit were Sarawak Heart Foundation trustee board member Puan Sri Jamilah Anu, Bukit Assek assemblyman Joseph Chieng, Sibu Municipal Council chairman Clarence Ting, Sibu Rural District councillor Kevin Lau and Hospital Sibu deputy director Dr Rachel Teng.
