Foundation to the aid of Lundu hospital

Community Care Enrichment Programme (CCEP) Foundation has initiated a fundraising campaign to upgrade 58-year-old Hospital Lundu in Sarawak.

CCEP Foundation chief executive officer Yee Poo Yoon said, “The hospital is grappling with issues of outdated and inadequate equipment.

“The entire hospital only has two modern beds, while the rest are old and dilapidated iron beds.”

She said some hospital equipment, such as LED phototherapy lights and nebulisers, were worn out and inoperable.

This shortage of operational equipment is affecting the hospital’s ability to provide adequate healthcare services.

“There is no denying that advanced equipment can indeed reduce the workload of medical personnel and make it more convenient for patients.”

CCEP Foundation said it would raise RM35,000 to purchase 10 beds, one LED phototherapy light for jaundiced infants and two nebulisers for asthma patients.

Hospital director Dr Chin Shi How said the 46-bed hospital was the only local facility in Lundu. It also houses a dialysis centre. The nearest specialist hospital is 100km away.

“I’ve been here for 12 years. Before my arrival, I was told that some patients had to take a boat across the river to reach the hospital,” he said.

“Fortunately, the government built a bridge which shortened their journey.

“The CCEP Foundation is the first non-governmental organisation to come here and offer to assist us with getting new equipment.”

Dr Chin said with the increase in diabetes patients, the hospital’s dialysis centre had increased the number of dialysis machines from six to 10 last year.

In less than a year, the demand has already surpassed the capacity, and there is a waiting list for new dialysis patients.

Dr Chin also said that the government was planning to build a new 76-bed hospital to replace the ageing one.

He hoped the project would be completed as soon as possible.