Charity dinner to raise funds for dialysis centre in Mentakab on Nov 1
THE Pahang Buddhist Association (PBA) haemodialysis centre in Mentakab is organising a charity dinner to raise funds in view of increasing operating costs.
Event organising chairman Datuk Hiang A Li said the centre's average monthly expenses amounted to some RM100,000.
'Many patients could not afford to pay the full fees and due to this and other operational costs, the centre exceeded its budget by over RM360,000 last year.
'To continue running the centre and provide quality renal treatment, we have decided to host a fundraising dinner,' he said when announcing the details of the programme to kickstart the donation drive.
The dinner will be held on Nov 1 at SMJK Hwa Lian school hall in Mentakab.
Hiang, who is also the school's board of governors chairman, said private haemodialysis centres charge between RM280 and M300 per session.
He said patients in PBA Mentakab centre paid between RM20 and RM100, depending on their family income and affordability.
'Through the charity dinner, we hope to raise about RM3mil for the funds to last for the next five years.
'We urge the public to support us so that we can continue to give quality treatment to all needy patients,' he said, adding that all donations would be exempt from tax.
Separately, PBA deputy president Datuk Franky Chua Goon Eng said the Kuantan haemodialysis centre was set up in 1996 to assist renal patients from all races.
He said over the years, some 300 patients, especially those who could not afford to pay the full fees, benefitted from the initiative.
'In 2018, we opened our second centre to assist those residing in Temerloh and Mentakab. To date, we have 10 dialysis machines there, treating 26 patients.
'Our main aim is to help less fortunate patients, urgent cases and not for profit,' he said.
Chua also said every year, the number of patients was increasing with some getting younger.
He added that both centres also offered haemodiafiltration (HDF) treatment, the highest standard of dialysis.
'These HDF machines can significantly reduce complications post-dialysis, aligning with the centre's goal of helping patients resume their daily lives.
'So far, we have eight HDF machines,' said Chua, who also urged the people to go for regular check-ups and adopt a healthy lifestyle.
For more information, call 019-989 6268, 012-983 9526 or WhatsApp 012-583 9644.
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