Latest news with #SarawakGeneralHospital
Borneo Post
7 days ago
- Borneo Post
54-year-old Lamborghini driver arrested after foreign worker killed while crossing Jalan Airport in Kuching
Police photo shows the condition of the Lamborghini after the fatal crash. KUCHING (May 28): Police have arrested a 54-year-old Lamborghini driver in connection with the death of a pedestrian at Jalan Airport here yesterday evening. In a statement today, Kuching police chief ACP Alexson Naga Chabu said the probe is being carried out under Section 41 (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for committing death by dangerous or reckless driving. The Section provides for five to 10 years in jail and a fine of between RM20,000 and RM50,000 upon conviction. It is believed that the suspect was driving the sports car from Jalan Airport to Padungan when the fatal accident happened. The fatal victim, a 52-year-old foreigner working on the Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) project, was crossing the road when the accident occurred. He was subsequently declared dead at the scene by medical personnel from the Sarawak General Hospital. Alexson called on those who witnessed the accident or have useful information on the accident to contact investigating officer ASP Lucas Apin on 013-8246881 or 082-259900, or to go to the nearest police station. He also advised pedestrians and motorists to be more careful, alert, and focussed when on the road to avoid untoward incidents and breaking the law. Alexson Naga Chabu Jalan Airport Lamborghini lead Lucas Apin
Borneo Post
15-05-2025
- Health
- Borneo Post
Rh17 donor hailed hero after rare blood type sent to KL for ectopic pregnancy surgery
The blood bank said those with the rare Rh17 blood type such as the patient's can only accept the same blood type. – Photo from Facebook/Blood Bank Hospital Umum Sarawak KUCHING (May 15): A woman in Kuala Lumpur urgently requiring surgery for an ectopic pregnancy received help from hundreds of kilometres away thanks a donor here with her rare blood type. The Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) Blood Bank said donor Vencent Voon Sin Thung, who possesses the same rare Rh17 blood type as the patient, who requires a transfusion during surgery. 'The patient has Rh17 blood, which is rarely found among the Malaysian population. 'Individuals like her can only receive blood from donors with the same blood type. This is because receiving blood from a different donor group can cause an acute blood reaction, which may endanger the patient's life,' the blood bank said in a Facebook post. It said Voon's blood was transported by cargo plane to Kuala Lumpur for the patient. 'We pray for the patient's safety and speedy recovery. 'On behalf of the patient, we express our heartfelt thanks to our hero Mr Vencent Voon Sin Thung.' The blood bank also explained that Rh17, also known as -D-/-D-, is considered rare because it lacks C/c and E/e antigens in red blood cells due to the inactivation of the RHCE gene. 'The RHCE gene may also be partially inactivated and is especially found among individuals of Caucasian descent, whose parents may be first cousins or distant relatives. 'Rare blood types can vary between countries depending on geographical population and specific ethnic groups. 'While Rh17 is rarely found among the general Malaysian population, in Sarawak, it is found in a small number of the Bidayuh community,' it said. It said individuals with the Rh17 blood group can produce anti-Rh17 antibodies following immune stimulation, such as during pregnancy or a blood transfusion. 'As such, these individuals can only receive blood from donors with the same Rh17 blood group if they need a transfusion.' The blood bank said one of the ways to identify those with rare blood-types is when they join donation drives. 'We will conduct blood group and phenotype testing and among the rare phenotypes are Rhesus negative, R2R2, JK3 (Jka-b-), Rh17, Ind b-, Rh null, Bombay, Parabombay, and many others. 'All donor data will be stored in the Rare Blood Registry to ensure quick response during emergencies.' The blood bank said if a donor is found to have a rare blood type, it will reach out to them and their close family members to undergo the same tests to determine whether they share the same rare blood type. 'This is why we always encourage the public, especially the youths, to become regular blood donors,' it added.
The Star
15-05-2025
- The Star
15-year-old faces 10 years' jail over reckless driving that killed five
KUCHING: A 15-year-old male teenager has pleaded guilty to reckless driving leading to the deaths of five in a multi-vehicle crash here in January. The teenager also pleaded guilty in the Magistrate's Court to underage driving. Magistrate Ling Hui Chuan fixed June 17 for sentencing pending a probation report from the Welfare Department. The teenager was released on a RM5,000 bail with his parents standing as sureties. In the first charge under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act, the teenager was accused of driving a vehicle recklessly in Jalan Stutong Baru at 1.10pm on Jan 14, causing the deaths of five persons aged from 16 to 45. The charge carries a penalty of five to 10 years' jail and a fine of RM20,000 to RM50,000. The second charge under Section 39(1) of the same Act for driving under the age of 16 is punishable with a fine not exceeding RM2,000, a jail term not exceeding six months, or both. Dashcam footage of the incident shows an out-of-control car veering into the opposite lane and colliding with two other cars and two motorcycles. Three men and a woman died at the scene, and a 16-year-old boy died while receiving treatment at the Sarawak General Hospital. The accused sustained a neck injury and was detained by police. In a separate Magistrate's Court, the accused's father pleaded guilty to leaving a child without reasonable supervision under Section 33(1)(a) of the Child Act. He was accused of letting his son drive a vehicle despite knowing he did not have a valid driving licence. Assistant registrar Nuraini Ahmad imposed a fine of RM15,000 in default 12 months' jail. She also ordered him to perform community service of 100 hours over a period of six months. The son and father were unrepresented.
The Independent
06-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Family looking for ‘awesome' woman who performed CPR to save man at airport
The family members of a man who survived a near-fatal heart attack at an airport are looking to meet the 'awesome' woman who performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on him to save his life. A young woman rushed to the rescue of a 55-year-old man, identified only as Mr Law, after he collapsed at the domestic arrival hall at Kuching International Airport in Malaysia last Wednesday. The woman immediately started performing CPR and continued doing so for 30 minutes while the airport staff used the automated external defibrillator and applied two shocks. Cardiologist Dr Tang Sie Hing, who treated the patient, said in a Facebook post his family hoped to meet the "awesome young lady". He said the patient, who is from Sibu, complained of chest pain and stomach ache for three days after his trip to China. The man was travelling alone from Sibu to Kuching when he suddenly collapsed after exiting the domestic arrival hall. The woman walking behind him immediately started performing CPR while assisting in the use of the automated external defibrillator, he added. Mr Law was taken to the Sarawak General Hospital, about 8km from the airport, where a CT scan ruled out a brain haemorrhage. At the family's request, the patient was transferred to a private hospital in Kuching. Dr Tang said the patient suffered "a near-fatal cardiac event". "A coronary angiogram showed two of his vessels were 100 per cent blocked and an ad hoc coronary angioplasty was done," he said, adding that the patient's heart has now been stabilised. The man has regained full consciousness and did not suffer any neurological deficit, he added. Dr Tang said the patient's family and friends expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the woman for her timely effort, as "without her intervention, the outcome would be unimaginable". In another post, Dr Tang said the patient will be discharged on Tuesday and his heart function and heart rhythm was normal. "... most grateful is the complete absence of any brain defects or paralysis", he added.
Borneo Post
03-05-2025
- Health
- Borneo Post
Beyond the wards: What SGH taught me about care and change
Broken since 2013, this non-functioning 'Nurse Presence' button at the SGH says more than any press release. Yet every day, nurses show up, care flows, and the system carries on. We can – and must – do better. FOR the past nearly two months, I made daily trips to Sarawak General Hospital (SGH). IN these journeys through its halls and wards, I have seen much – and thought even more. First and foremost, credit where it is due: the doctors and nurses at SGH – from the obstetrics, maternity, labour, to postnatal wards housed between Level 3 and Level 5 of the main block – are a credit to their profession. Their professionalism, patience, and dedication shine through. In an often overstretched system, they hold the line, day after day, with care and dignity. Security at the hospital is understandably tight. Every visitor is required to fill in their name, IC number, phone number, date, time, and signature in a logbook. This manual process, however, creates long queues at the signing tables. It is a minor, but daily frustration, for visitors already dealing with emotional strain. Surely in this digital age, we can do better – a simple computerised registration system could ease the bottleneck, and even strengthen security tracking. Then there is the perennial woe of parking. The private parking lot charges RM6.80 per entry – it was RM6.40 when I first used it in March, before creeping up by another 40 sen in April. The nearby hotel shopping complex's multi-level parking charges RM2 per hour. Understandably, many resort to parking along the road, creating congestion and chaos. Once, I witnessed an ambulance squeezing through the narrow jam just to reach the emergency ward – barely 100 steps away. In a place where moments often matter – for doctors, nurses, patients, and anxious families – this daily traffic snarl does no one any good. Walking through the wards, I noticed another small but telling detail: doctors and nurses are constantly scribbling notes. Patient records are still handwritten. The age-old joke about doctors' handwriting applies, but at SGH, the doctors have had to write legibly. It makes me wonder – in an era of tablets and electronic records, could we not ease this burden? Every minute spent deciphering handwriting is a minute less spent on patient care. Recently, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a federal allocation of RM3 million for SGH upgrades and new assets. It sounds impressive, but for a hospital serving thousands daily, what is RM3 million? It is a token gesture, not a transformation. If we are truly serious about upgrading healthcare, we must invest not just in beds and buildings, but in systems – systems that lighten the paperwork load and allow our medical teams to focus on what they do best: healing. And while we are on the subject of upgrades – a small note of gratitude. The six old lifts serving the main block, though ageing and slow, have remained mostly serviceable during my weeks of visits. At present, only three lifts are available for public use, one is dedicated to patients, while two remain non-operational. Some might remember that I wrote about these very lifts back in 2016, in 'We Have Stories to Tell', when a baby was born in a faulty lift. The lift stood still, the clock ticking away – but thanks to the quick-thinking nurses, the baby was safely delivered inside. That, too, is a story of resilience. Thankfully, the lifts are still telling stories, albeit at a leisurely pace. Perhaps it is time to give them a new chapter too. Sarawak General Hospital is filled with heart. It deserves more than piecemeal fixes. It deserves a system that matches the professionalism of its people – and the hopes of its patients. dilapidated hospital sarawak sgh
