KUALA LUMPUR: A paediatric cardiothoracic surgical centre is being planned for Penang while another new cardiothoracic centre will be available at Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun in Ipoh.

The surgical centre meant for paediatrics is sited at Hospital Seberang Jaya, Penang.

These are among the plans to strengthen cardiothoracic centres under the Health Ministry, says Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.

He added that a new surgical block with upgraded cardiothoracic services would also be constructed at Hospital Pulau Pinang.

Addressing the 32nd Association of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons of Asia Conference here yesterday, he said there are seven cardiothoracic centres in Malaysia under the ministry.

They are in Hospital Pulau Pinang, Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II (Kota Baru), Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan (Kuantan), Hospital Sultan Idris Shah (Serdang, Selangor), Hospital Sultanah Aminah (Johor Baru), Sarawak Heart Centre (Kuching), and Hospital Queen Elizabeth II (Kota Kinabalu).

Citing the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur as a mature cardiac centre, he said the ministry aimed to replicate its success and strengthen all the ministry’s seven regional cardiothoracic centres.

Dzulkefly said the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) had set up its first international office at the Academy of Medicines of Malaysia’s new campus in Putrajaya.

He said the parallel pathway cardiothoracic surgical training programme by the ministry, with quality assured by the RCSEd, remains the backbone of the cardiothoracic surgeons training.

“At the same time, the ministry is strengthening all cardiothoracic training programmes, which also includes our local university master’s programmes in the mix,” said Dzulkefly.

He said cardiothoracic surgery remains a key component and focus of care for cardiovascular disease patients by the ministry.

“Training more cardiothoracic surgeons remains a top priority in order to achieve the ministry’s objective of bringing cardiothoracic surgery care closer to the people,” he said.

He said amendments to the Medical Act, which were passed July in Parliament, were the only sure way to address the acute shortage of cardiothoracic surgeons in Malaysia.

In June, Dzulkefly said there are only 17 cardiothoracic specialists serving under the ministry. He had said then that 23 doctors are receiving training in the specialisation, of which 16 through parallel pathway training, while seven are taking up UiTM’s medical master’s programme.Yesterday, he pointed out that non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which include cardiovascular and chronic respiratory diseases as well as diabetes, were among the causes of 72% of all premature deaths.

“The three main NCD categories – cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer – are estimated to have cost the Malaysian economy RM12.88bil in terms of productivity losses,” he said.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/11/23/moh-to-boost-cardiothoracic-care-across-the-country