Establish haemodialysis centre at Sungai Asap Health Clinic, Murum rep urges

KUCHING (Nov 23): Murum assemblyman Kennedy Chukpai Ugon is urging the relevant authorities to establish a haemodialysis centre at the Sungai Asap Health Clinic to meet the needs of the Sungai Asap, Belaga and Tubau rural community needing dialysis treatments.

“Health is paramount in our everyday life. I sympathise with the 32 kidney patients in my constituency who are compelled to undergo dialysis treatments in Miri and Kapit hospitals three times a week.

“They had to go back and forth from the Sungai Asap village to the hospital in Bintulu with the cost of transportation and spending on food or drink and others amounting to RM200 a time because they have no place to live in Bintulu.

“Imagine three times a week, in a month, the expenditure to get dialysis treatment services is RM2,400,” he said in his Sarawak Budget 2024 debate speech at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting here today.

According to Chukpai, the situation is very burdensome for patients and family members in terms of cost and time.

“The Sungai Asap Health Clinic informed that the establishment of a Haemodialysis Centre at the clinic is already under discussion at the Sarawak State Health Department level and has been included in RMK12 (12th Malaysia Plan) but is still awaiting approval.

“I seek clarification from the relevant ministry on this matter,” he said.

Touching upon other issues, Chukpai underscored the priority of rural road and bridge development in the budget, citing them as catalysts for rural development.

He sought clarification from the Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MIPD), the Public Works Department (JKR), and other responsible agencies regarding the status of applications and initiatives.

“Among them, to upgrade the former logging roads that are the main access to villages/longhouses in the interior of Sarawak, especially in the Murum constituency such as in the areas of Jelalong, Tubau, Ulu Sg Belaga, Long Urun, Metalun, Tegulang, Sg Linau and Sg Asap.

“The estimated total length of former logging roads connecting 70 longhouses is 374km,” he said.

He said he had tried to use his Minor Rural Projects (MRP) and Rural Transformation Projects (RTP) allocations which were very limited to help but it was only temporary or short-term.

He said that sometimes the villagers resort to communal efforts to repair these roads because there is no choice.

“In this regard, I would like to propose that the government allocate a special fund of at least RM3 million to each JKR in the division or district level as a proactive measure.

“This would ensure prompt action in emergencies where these roads are impassable, requiring immediate repairs to provide access to residents while awaiting the full upgrading of these former logging roads,” he said.

He also urged the government to seriously consider these requests, emphasising the need for the people in the rural areas, particularly in Murum, to enjoy safe and comfortable road facilities like those in other parts of Sarawak.