KUALA LUMPUR,: The Health Ministry (MOH) has implemented various short‑ and medium‑term measures to shorten waiting times for heart patients, including developing and upgrading infrastructure and equipment at invasive cardiology laboratories (ICLs), the Senate was told Wednesday (March 4).
Deputy Minister Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib said new ICLs at Hospital Melaka, Hospital Miri, Hospital Sibu, and Hospital Tawau are expected to be operational by 2027.
"MOH is adding two ICLs at Hospital Sultan Idris Shah, Serdang, expected to be operational in 2028, alongside the existing seven ICLs, while also replacing ICL equipment in 10 hospitals with cardiology services, under the Third Rolling Plan of the 12th Malaysia Plan, which continues to the present year,” she said during an oral question-and-answer session.
She was responding to a question from Senator Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar on steps taken to tackle long waiting times for heart patients needing angiograms and coronary artery bypass grafting surgeries, as well as the ministry’s short- and medium-term plans to enhance infrastructure, hospital facilities, manpower, specialists, and equipment.
Hanifah Hajar said the project to upgrade existing facilities aims to ensure that the existing 26 ICLs operate at optimum levels, providing patients with quality and safe angiogram and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) treatments.
She said work to upgrade and add cardiothoracic operating theatres, optimise the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU), and procure and replace high-tech equipment is also underway, with the aim of gradually increasing treatment capacity and reducing reliance on outsourcing over the medium term.
For workforce development, Hanifah Hajar said the ministry is strengthening the Parallel Pathway for Cardiothoracic Surgery, which has been producing graduates since 2022, while the Universiti Teknologi Mara programme is set to produce its first graduates in 2027.
"The projection is for 45 new cardiothoracic surgeons by 2027, bringing us close to the target of at least 46 surgeons by 2028,” she said.
Hanifah Hajar added that the intake for cardiology subspecialty training has been increased from 20 to 40 slots annually, effective this year.
She said the target of cardiologists could reach 200 specialists by 2030, including those currently in service, taking into account the attrition rate, compared with only 61 at present.
Hanifah Hajar said the ministry is also strengthening subspecialty training in cardiac anesthesia and perfusion to empower cardiac surgery teams, with 21 trainees currently at MOH hospitals and four to six new anesthetists joining the programme each year.
"The target by 2030 is to have 40 specialists, in addition to the existing 14,” she said.
In addition, she said the MOH is encouraging more nurses and allied health staff to pursue basic and advanced diploma post-training to enhance the competence of cardiac service support teams.
Hanifah Hajar said that last year, the outsourcing of heart cases to the National Heart Institute involved 2,894 angiogram cases, 2,137 PCI procedures, 770 heart bypass surgeries, and 132 valve surgeries.
She said that since 2024, 2,682 angiogram cases, 1,758 PCI cases, and 900 heart bypass surgeries have been outsourced to private and university hospitals under the Hospital Services Outsourcing Programme. - Bernama
