Mawar aims to be the first NGO-run dialysis hospital

Star: SEREMBAN: It all began in 1997 when Datuk Dr Yeow Chai Thiam decided to set up a haemodialysis centre here.
“I have seen how people whose kidneys failed suffered, especially the underprivileged and those from the low-income group. These people cannot afford renal replacement treatment or dialysis.
“That was why I decided to set up the Mawar Haemodialysis Centre,” said Dr Yeow.
Seven years after its formation, Mawar has branched out, setting up dialysis centres in Lukut, Bahau and Rantau in Negri Sembilan as well as in Sepang and Seri Kembangan in Selangor, and in Gemas Baru, Johor.
National Kidney Foundation statistics show about 12,000 Malaysians have end-stage renal failure and receive dialysis treatment at 320 centres nationwide.
The most common causes of kidney failure are diabetes mellitus and hypertension.
Others include kidney stones and urinary tract infections.
Dr Yeow said Mawar wants to be the world’s first non-governmental organisation-run haemodialysis hospital.
“The hospital, to be named Mawar Renal Medical Centre, will be the first of its kind in Asia,” said Dr Yeow, who is the chairman of Mawar Haemodialysis Centre.
With this aim in mind, the Mawar centre in Seremban is being upgraded into a hospital.
“At Mawar, anybody can obtain dialysis treatment,” Dr Yeow said, adding that a patient needs to pay a minimum of RM60 for each dialysis session, compared with up to RM250 at other privately run dialysis centres.
“Now Mawar and its branches provide dialysis to more than 250 patients at any particular session,” he said.
Facilities to be available at Mawar's hospital will include radiograph checks and endoscopy as well as stress, blood, urine, echo and ultrasound tests, CT Scan, nephrology and psychiatric consultation.
Two surgery rooms will also be available.
The hospital will admit patients with renal problems like stones and urinary tract complications.
It will initially have 78 beds – 58 of them for adults.
Dr Yeow said the RM5mil upgrading work at Mawar’s main centre at Jalan Rasah here is expected to be completed by October.
“Despite being oriented to assist the poor, Mawar still accepts wealthy patients and they are charged corporate rates. The payments will be used to subsidise dialysis treatment for the underprivileged,” said Dr Yeow.