SIBU: The commissioning of a new advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine at Hospital Sibu is seen as a significant step towards improved cardiac care in Sarawak.
The machine costs RM9mil, about RM2.02mil of it contributed by 20 organisations and private donations.
The Health Ministry also provided RM1.2mil, with additional funding exceeding RM3mil for renovation and infrastructure works.
It was acquired through a strategic collaboration between Sarawak Heart Foundation (SHF), the ministry, 20 donors and Philips Malaysia Sdn Bhd.
At the commissioning of the machine on Friday (April 10), Deputy Sarawak Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian expressed appreciation to SHF and donors for helping to realise the project, noting that it had taken several years to materialise.
He said the newly-installed system is among the latest in Malaysia and also the first in the country to operate with minimal helium, making it more efficient and sustainable compared to older models.
(Liquid helium is needed to cool the superconducting magnets used in MRI machines.)
"This is not just a standard MRI machine. While there are many MRI units in the country, only a few are capable of performing advanced cardiac imaging," he said.
"With this advanced technology, patients from across the region will no longer need to travel to Kuching for the service, making Hospital Sibu the second hospital in Sarawak with such a facility," Dr Sim added.
He said that while the machine can be used for full-body imaging, including the brain, cardiac imaging remains the most complex because of the constant movement of the heart.
Looking ahead, Dr Sim said efforts are underway to establish a more comprehensive cardiac care centre in Sibu, including the development of a cardiac catheterisation laboratory.
The project is currently in the tender stage and is expected to be completed by the end of next year.
The machine and the catheterisation laboratory currently in the works augur well for the development of Hospital Sibu as a satellite cardiac centre.
Cardiac MRI is a vital diagnostic tool for assessing heart muscle health. This diagnostic imaging helps doctors assess whether the heart muscle is still functioning and determine if procedures such as bypass surgery and angioplasty are appropriate for the patient.
Doctors can then make better clinical decisions.
Dr Sim stressed that access to cardiac care should not be limited to major cities, adding that patients in Sarawak should not have to travel long distances, especially during emergencies.
"Experience has shown that when services are available locally, more patients will come forward for treatment, as cost and distance are major barriers," he said.
Also present was Deputy Health Minister Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib.
