BESIDES its food and culture, Malaysia is also internationally recognized for its affordable healthcare—especially the low cost of treatment at government hospitals.
A Malaysian woman recently took to Facebook to express her heartfelt gratitude towards Sarikei Hospital, not only for providing exceptional care for her mother but also for the shockingly low cost of her mother’s six-day hospitalisation, which amounted to just RM202.
In her post, Lily Law shared that she initially had several concerns about transferring her mother to Sarikei Hospital in Sarawak. She worried about the possibility of a shortage of doctors, limited beds, and the operating room being fully booked, which could delay her mother’s surgery and negatively impact her recovery.
However, she was in for a pleasant surprise!
“The reality truly exceeded my expectations!” Law gushed, explaining that Sarikei Hospital was much larger than she had anticipated, and there were plenty of doctors, so getting treatment was never an issue.
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“What surprised me even more was that there were many Chinese-speaking medical staff at the hospital, so communication was not a problem! This broke my stereotype that ‘government hospitals only have Malay staff.’”
Law was also impressed by the professionalism of the hospital staff.
“The doctors were very professional, and the nurses were dedicated and extremely patient. They took great care of every patient. Even the hospital food was well-balanced and nutritious.”
But what truly astonished her was the cost of the stay and treatment.
She had initially expected to pay at least RM700 to RM1,000 for six days of hospitalization, daily specialist consultations, medications, surgery, and two ambulance services.
“When I reached the payment counter, the amount to be paid was only RM202!”
Law couldn’t believe her ears when she was told the total, especially compared to the five-figure bills she knew would have been the norm at a private hospital.
She then concluded, “Many people say that Malaysia’s healthcare system is a privilege that many other countries cannot offer. This time, I truly experienced it myself!”
“Thank you to all the medical staff at Sarikei Hospital. Your attentive care and professional treatment have given my mother the best chance for recovery during this challenging time!”
