Dr Sim pays tribute to Chua Jui Meng for setting up cardiac service at SGH

KUCHING (Dec 5): The late Datuk Chua Jui Meng was responsible for setting up the cardiac service at Sarawak General Hospital when he was the nation’s health minister, said Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian.

In a tribute to Chua on Facebook, the Deputy Premier recalled funding for the SGH cardiac service would have been shifted elsewhere if it had not been for Chua’s persistence.

“I am blessed with the opportunity to be the inaugural head of the cardiology service 23 years ago.

“Thank you very, very much Datuk Chua for having faith in me and supporting us all the way in the setting up of the cardiac services in SGH in 2000,” said Dr Sim, who is Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government.

Dr Sim also recalled that Chua was also the health minister who approved the Cardiac MRI at SGH in 2003, which was the first in the region.

He revealed that Yayasan Sarawak chairman at that time, the late Pehin Sri Adenan Satem, approved funding for Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee to go for a six-month training stint in Berlin, Germany.

This allowed Dr Annuar to become the first cardiologist trained in cardiac MRI in the region.

On Dec 3, Chua, the country’s longest-serving health minister, passed away at Serdang Hospital at the age of 80.

He served as health minister from 1995 to 2004.