KUALA LUMPUR: A government backbencher has questioned how many operation theatres at the Serdang Heart Centre are currently operational.
Yeo Bee Yin (PH-Puchong) said there was varying information on this, with various instances of the operation theatres being opened and then closed.
“When the centre first opened in 2022, it was said to be able to provide world-class treatments to Malaysian heart patients and reduce our dependency on the National Heart Institute (IJN).
“In May this year however, a media report revealed that all four operational theatres there were not functioning due to electrical and technical issues,” she said when debating Budget 2025 at the committee level on Tuesday (Nov 26).
In her debate speech, Yeo referred to The Star’s exclusive report on May 14 titled ‘Heart of the centre is not beating’ saying; “it was a very apt headline”.
“I want to know if one or all operational theatres at the Serdang Heart Centre were not functioning as of May this year.
“Following this, the (Health) Ministry on June 7 said three of the four operation theatres there were functioning beginning June 5.
“On July 22 however, another report revealed that one of the operation theatres was forced to be closed for three weeks,” she said.
“I want confirmation from the Health Minister on how many operation theatres at the Serdang Heart Centre are currently functioning,” she added.
Yeo also asked whether the facilities highlighted during the Serdang Heart Centre’s launch were operational.
“More importantly, can this whole matter be accepted as the norm where thousands of heart patients have to wait for new operational theatres that are not functioning?” Yeo asked.
She also called for an investigation and audit on the matter.
“We cannot just let it be. We need to know who is responsible and heads must roll,” she said.
On May 14, The Star reported that four operating theatres at the Serdang Heart Centre could not be used, as they were all facing maintenance issues.
The report revealed that about a thousand patients who need heart surgery have been put on a long waiting list for several months due to infrastructure issues, with only urgent cases being given priority.
It also said patients wait for at least a year for an admission date.
Due to the lack of operating theatres, however, patients wait for days or weeks in the ward, according to the report.
