PEKAN: During his five-year reign as Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah not only created sweet memories to be forever cherished by his subjects but also gifted something meaningful for kidney patients before returning to his home state of Pahang.
The establishment of the Yayasan Al-Sultan Abdullah (YASA) Haemodialysis Centres to provide free treatment to kidney patients, especially among the M40 and B40 groups, serves as a clear manifestation of His Majesty’s deep concern for the people’s health.
Sharing the story behind the setting up of the haemodialysis centres, YASA general manager Mohd Fakhrul Islam Juhali said after ascending the federal throne as Malaysia’s 16th King, Al-Sultan Abdullah was briefed by the Health Ministry about the country’s healthcare services, including the number of kidney patients.
“His Majesty was informed that there were about 50,000 patients who required dialysis treatment, with an estimated increase of 8,000 new patients each year.
“During his engagement with the people, the King discovered that many citizens had to bear the treatment costs themselves.
“As a result, Al-Sultan Abdullah and Raja Permaisuri Agong (Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah), along with their children, then graciously decided to lend assistance, leading to the opening of the first YASA Haemodialysis Centre in Cheras in 2019 and the most recent one in Jerantut last year,” he told Bernama in an interview.
The YASA Haemodialysis Centre in Jerantut is the fifth facility opened after Taman Melati, Kuala Lumpur, which was inaugurated on July 28, 2022, Pekan, Pahang (Dec 11, 2021) as well as Setiawangsa and Cheras in Kuala Lumpur, which commence operations on Aug 12, 2020 and Aug 7, 2019, respectively.
According to Mohd Fakhrul, each centre is furnished with up to 12 dialysis machines, as well as comfortable facilities and treatment spaces for patients that are on par with other haemodialysis centres in the country.
“Al-Sultan Abdullah instructed that YASA Haemodialysis Centres offer comfortable services to attract patients. Additionally, these centres provide services for picking up and dropping off patients at their homes for their convenience,” he said.
The foundation also owns an ambulance equipped with a defibrillator and ventilator for assistance and treatment purposes in cases of trauma and emergencies.
At present, approximately 250 patients from various ethnic backgrounds, including Orang Asli, are undergoing treatment across the five haemodialysis centres.
Mohd Fakhrul said Al-Sultan Abdullah’s concern for the people’s well-being was also evident when His Majesty instructed the implementation of more health-related programmes, especially in Pahang.
“As a result, we initiated the Jelajah Kesihatan Rakyat programme in collaboration with private and public agencies. This initiative involved visiting various districts to provide free health check-ups, as His Majesty believes that prevention is better than cure,” he said.
Meanwhile, former factory worker Bakri Majid, 67, expressed his sincere gratitude to His Majesty for providing a comfortable haemodialysis centre, which enabled kidney patients like him to receive free treatment for the past two years.
“I am now without a source of income, and I don’t need to worry about any expenses when receiving treatment here (in Pekan). The centre even provides convenient pick-up and drop-off services. I am genuinely thankful for this invaluable facility,” said the resident of Kampung Pulau Jawa.
Another patient, Nurjanah Yaacob, 57, is also relieved to be able to undergo dialysis at the centre as she could not afford to go to private facilities.
“The treatment cost is not cheap because we need to do it three times a week. Just imagine if we have to pay out of pocket. I really appreciate YASA for helping the needy like us,” said the mother of two. -Bernama
