Tawau Hospital set to begin cardiology services
PETALING JAYA : Tawau Hospital is set to become a referral hospital on the east coast of Sabah for cardiology treatment soon.
Health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said this would be possible with the operation of an invasive cardiac laboratory (ICL) there, Bernama reported.
He said the entire ecosystem, including the infrastructure for the ICL operations, had been identified and would be supplied immediately.
'The tender will be issued in a month or two.
'The ICL will provide services which are commonly referred to as cardiac treatment setups, angiograms, angioplasties and many more,' he said after visiting the hospital here today.
He said at present heart attack and critical heart ailment patients on the east coast of Sabah have to be referred to treatment centres in Kota Kinabalu. This resulted in delayed treatment and an increased risk of complications.
'The health ministry is confident that with the operation of the ICL, we can reduce the time required for door-to-ECG to less than 10 minutes.'
Dzulkefly hopes to offer the balloon procedure or angioplasty at the hospital in less than 90 minutes.
'This ICL is a very good, very fast cardiology service that is eagerly awaited by the entire Sabah population, particularly those on the east coast,' he added.
Dzulkefly's three-day intensive tour of 22 health facilities in six districts in Sabah ended today.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
3 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Bupa Hong Kong Connects More Customers to Flexible and Affordable Outpatient Care with Blua Health Pass
Blua Health Pass promotes everyday wellness by making outpatient care more accessible across digital and in-person touchpoints, under Bupa's commitment to Together for Your Health Blua Health Pass Lite, priced at HK$250, is ideal for individuals exploring Bupa's network healthcare services. Moving up, the Blua Health Pass Plus is available for HK$780 per year, catering to those who seek more frequent healthcare interactions, providing greater access and savings on a variety of services. The most comprehensive offering is the Blua Health Pass Flex, which costs HK$1,800 annually. This premium option is intended for individuals requiring broad and frequent access to outpatient care. Subscribers to the Flex plan can enjoy up to 15 outpatient visits per year, with co-payments ranging from HK$60 to HK$120. The plan covers a wide range of services, including general practice and specialist consultations, physiotherapy, Traditional Chinese Medicine, as well as diagnostic imaging, lab tests, vaccinations, and more. ¹Video consultation and ePharmacy features are provided by our medical service provider. ²Insurance management services are offered through myBupa feature of Blua Health. myBupa is offered, distributed and operated by Bupa (Asia) Limited. Blua Health is not a licensed insurance agent of Bupa (Asia) Limited, nor does it represent Bupa to conduct any insurance activities. The fact that Blua Health provides myBupa feature does not constitute and should not be construed as Blua Health conducting any Regulated Activities as defined by the Insurance Ordinance, Chapter 41 of the Laws of Hong Kong, or any insurance activities. ³Blua Health Pass is a subscription-based membership scheme offered, distributed and operated by Blua (Asia) Services Limited, a company registered in Hong Kong under the Bupa Group. Blua Health Pass is not an insurance product. Terms and conditions apply. Please refer to our product leaflet for more details. HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 18 August 2025 - To more effectively meet the evolving needs of healthcare customers in Hong Kong, Bupa Hong Kong is now launching Blua Health Pass, a subscription-based outpatient healthcare solution designed to deliver accessible local care. This programme empowers individuals to take control of their health with ease, flexibility and plans starting at just HK$250, Blua Health Pass connects customers to preventative care that meets the everyday wellness needs of today's workforce and health-conscious to provide greater choice, Blua Health Pass offers seamless access to a wide range of outpatient services across digital and physical touchpoints—making it even more convenient to book appointments with general practitioners, specialists, Traditional Chinese Medical practitioners and physiotherapists. Customers can also track health progress, complete health missions and receive wellness recommendations available through the Blua Health Health, Hong Kong's leading one-stop AI-powered mobile app, offers a range of digitally-enabled services including video consultations and ePharmacy¹, rewards for health missions, insurance management², and claims and other results Health Pass³ offers three levels of protection, with exclusive rates of up to 67% on standard service fees at around 380 service points and more than 20 specialties across Hong Kong. Customers can take advantage of priority eBooking on the Blua Health App for less wait time, AI-powered health assessments, digital prescription ordering and healthy living rewards. The three plans include:said, "Blua Health Pass helps to fill the outpatient medical needs for individuals without comprehensive insurance: whether they are freelancing, working for a startup, retired, or simply seeking an easier and more affordable way to access everyday care. Members can also stay in control of their healthcare management anytime, anywhere, and fully harness technology to integrate health into everyday life whilst making preventative care more affordable."Sign up for your preferred Blua Health Pass on Blua Health App today. Click this link to subscribe in just five minutes and begin enjoying accessible local care, priority in outpatient appointment bookings and exclusive rates: Hashtag: #Bupa #BupaHongKong #保柏 #保柏香港 #BluaHealthPass #BluaHealth通行證 #healthcare #日常保健 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Bupa – An international health insurance specialist Established in 1947, Bupa's purpose is helping people live longer, healthier, happier lives and making a better world. We are an international healthcare company serving over 60 million customers worldwide. With no shareholders, we reinvest profits into providing more and better healthcare for the benefit of current and future customers. Bupa has businesses around the world, principally in Australia, the UK, Spain, Poland, Chile, Hong Kong SAR, India, Türkiye, Brazil, Mexico and New Zealand. We also have associate businesses in Saudi Arabia. Bupa has been a health insurance specialist in Hong Kong since 1976, offering one-stop solutions across domestic and international health insurance, and healthcare services. Our comprehensive medical insurance schemes are tailored to meet individual needs, and we provide health solutions for companies of all sizes. We also have a team of registered nurses, health management professionals, and doctors who provide various expert healthcare support. Our healthcare provision arm, Quality HealthCare Medical Services (QHMS), became part of Bupa in October 2013. QHMS offers Western Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Diagnostics & Imaging, Dental, Physiotherapy, Mental Health and Wellness services via a network of over 1,650 provider service points in Hong Kong. For more information, visit
Malay Mail
8 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Vapeonomics: How a ban risks repeating the cigarette mistake — Yugendran T. Kannu Sivakumaran
AUGUST 18 — With the recent news of the Ministry of Health looking into banning vapes due to their impact on health and society, it is high time we look into the ramifications this hardline approach could cause. Since the time of the prohibition in the 1920s in the United States, we have seen how a hardline stance like this can totally backfire, and with the MOH's current plan of a total ban, if implemented rashly or not holistically, we may see drastic consequences. Due to data on e-cigarettes being limited, we will look into a comparison with cigarettes to come to an understanding of why a total ban may be regressive. As it stands in 2024, 55 per cent of cigarettes are illicit. This costs the Malaysian government RM 5 billion annually in missed revenue. Now, when we look at this in the case of a total ban on e-cigarettes, the first thing is we are losing a taxable revenue source. From 2021 to 2024, e-cigarettes and vapes collected RM 183.1 million in tax revenue. Yes, this is a far cry from cigarettes, but as the vape market grows — with Malaysia being the 12th largest vape market in the world — we stand to lose not only this revenue but also risk the rise of an illicit market. This can lead to massive consequences, ranging from loss of revenue, as we see with the illicit cigarette market, to health consequences. Over the years, we have seen a decline in the illicit cigarette market share, from its all-time high of 63.8 per cent in 2020 to 55 per cent in 2024. This drop can be attributed to the increase in the MOHA budget, which rose from RM 16.9 billion in 2020 to RM 19 billion in 2024. The reason why we are bringing this up is that, in order to combat the illicit market that may arise from vapes, we will probably need to increase this budget in order to combat this illicit trade. This battle will be continuous and will cost taxpayers a pretty penny. In addition to that, banning may lead to the opposite outcome when it comes to health, as people who get their fix from the illicit market may use unregulated products that can cause life-threatening symptoms. One of the biggest criticisms of vapes comes from a sudden vape-related illness known as EVALI (E-cigarette or Vaping Product Use-Associated Lung Injury) that arose in 2019. This affected over 2,000 people in the United States, whereas in Malaysia in 2023, EVALI was suspected as a cause of death for a Malaysian vape user. But in the United States, it was found that most cases of EVALI were caused by counterfeit vape liquids that contained many more harmful toxins compared to regular liquids. These toxins ranged from pesticides to plasticisers. So, by banning, this can lead to the floodgates opening and allowing more toxic vapes into the Malaysian market, which can lead to a worse outcome for health. A hammer-down approach may sound appealing in theory, but without a holistic strategy, it is unlikely to be effective. Malaysia first needs a comprehensive plan to combat illicit trade at its borders, or else, even with a ban, the illicit market will grow — putting us right back at ground zero. In the meantime, rather than imposing a total ban, the government could focus on stricter regulations, such as standardising e-cigarette liquid formulas to ensure they do not contain harmful chemicals that cause immediate and severe health risks. By addressing the problem from a micro perspective rather than only the macro, we can work towards more effective reforms and a healthier Malaysia. *The author of this article is Yugendran T. Kannu Sivakumaran of Bait Al Amanah. Bait Al Amanah is an independent research institute that promotes policy and decision-making through sound, independent, and multidisciplinary research and analysis in areas of governance and democracy, economics, security, and issues of national importance. **This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
The Star
16 hours ago
- The Star
Disapproving families contribute to longer wait for transplants, says Dzulkefly
KUALA LUMPUR: Objections from the next-of-kin of deceased organ donors are among the reasons behind the long waiting list for those who need organ transplants in Malaysia, says Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad. The Health Minister said there were more than 10,000 kidney patients on the waiting list for transplants as of July 31 this year. He said those with liver, heart and lung conditions were also on the waiting list. 'The reasons behind (such) are multifactorial, but in general, objections from a donor's next-of-kin present a challenge. 'If we can overcome this, I'm confident we can improve the percentage of our organ transplants,' he told reporters after launching the National Organ Donation Awareness Week here yesterday. Dzulkefly said this year's campaign is focused on getting the next-of-kin to respect a deceased donor's pledge. 'We have always urged the public to pledge as organ donors, but now, we need to step up and have a call for action. 'It's no longer about talk.' For 2024, he said the organ donor rate from cadavers was still low with only 46 cases or 1.33 donors for one million people. On the number of organ transplants, he said 3,359 had been carried out between 1997 and July 31 this year. This comprised 1,121 cadavers while 2,238 were from live donors. A total of 404,925 Malaysians pledged to donate their organs during the same period. Almost 200 tissue transplant procedures were carried out last year, with 74% on cornea transplants involving donations from Malaysians. 'The figures are hopeful but also a reminder that the journey is still long. 'In reality, we are still facing challenges. Kidney, liver and heart (transplants) are among the most needed. 'The same goes for tissue and bones,' Dzulkefly added. He said the rate of organ transplants in Malaysia is still low compared with countries like Spain, Turkiye and China. The Health Minister said he will raise the matter at the Asean Health Ministers' Meeting next year, with the aim to strengthen governance, improve the capacity and speed up innovative processes in donor and transplant services. Meanwhile, Dzulkefly said efforts to reform the National Transplant Resource Centre are underway. This, he said, will see a shift towards setting-up a National Transplant Centre. 'The purpose is to empower governance, increase capacity and hasten innovation in organ donations and transplants,' Dzulkefly said, adding that engagements are also on the agenda.
