IJN Sabah project out to bring hope closer to children with heart disease

KOTA KINABALU (April 7): For many families in Sabah, a child born with a heart complication often means a long, uncertain journey: travelling far from home, facing delays in treatment, and carrying heavy emotional and financial burdens.

In this regard, the proposed establishment of a National Heart Institute (IJN) unit in the state signifies something that many have long hoped for – care that is closer to home.

Society For Sabah Heart Fund (SOSHF) president Datuk Eva Susau said this could make a life-changing difference for children born with heart defects and their families.

“For a child born with a heart defect, time is life.

“Bringing specialised cardiac care to Sabah means giving that child not just treatment, but a future,” she said in a statement.

Eva welcomed the recent signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the IJN and Yayasan Sabah Group, through Innoprise Corporation Sdn Bhd.

For decades, SOSHF has worked quietly behind the scenes, helping children from some of Sabah’s most vulnerable communities get the treatment they need.

Many of these children require early diagnosis, urgent surgery and long-term care – services that are not always easily accessible within the state.

“Families often must travel long distances, sometimes across the sea, just to seek treat-ment.

“Along the way, they face delays, rising costs and emotional strain,” said Eva.

“That is why the planned IJN Sabah centre in Likas carries a deeper significance.”

Located within walking distance from SOSHF’s recently-established halfway home, the proposed IJN Sabah would not just be about medical care, but also a support system for families during one of the most difficult periods of their lives.

The halfway home is meant to provide a place to rest, recover and find support, especially for those coming from the rural areas.

Nonetheless, Eva stressed that the children must remain at the heart of the project.

She also called for the inclusion of dedicated paediatric cardiac services, including specialised units for infants and children, as well as early screening programmes that could reach even the most remote parts of Sabah.

“This is more than building a hospital – it is about building equity in healthcare.”

Eva also said in view of SOSHF’s 45th anniversary next year, the society’s reaffirmed its commitment of ensuring that no child would ever be left behind.