UMMC Never Neglects Local Patients

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 5 (Bernama) -- Malaysians are always given top priority whenever it comes to getting the best medical care, University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) Deputy Director (Clinical Services) Associate Professor Dr Jamiyah Hussin said.
She said whether it was for normal medical treatment or those requiring attentive surgeries and care such as those that involved encephalocele, the locals were never neglected.
"Our own people always come first here if the cases are brought to our attention. It's not true if some people say we are so willing to help outsiders, instead of our own people who also suffer from similar illnesses.
"In fact, UMMC had performed numerous such (encephalocele) surgeries here which involved local patients. But we never publicise them because we don't feel the need to do so. Besides, this illness is rare in Malaysia," she told Bernama.
UMMC had last week successfully performed a facial reconstruction surgery on a four-year-old Indonesian Eliz Rochmitasari who suffered from encephalocele - a condition where brain tissues protrude due to a congenital defect - in a widely publicised operation.
On another note, Dr Jamiyah said although Malaysia had one of the best medical facilities and expertise in the region capable in treating critical diseases, they were not fully utilised.
She said it could be due to a lack of confidence among Malaysians themselves on the kind of medical services the country could offer.
"For instance our neurosurgeon and maxillofacial teams are among the best specialists in the region and the same goes for heart surgeries and organ transplant.
"What I feel is that our own people should have confidence in the high standard of health services and facilities that we provide," she said.
"Surgery cost is comparatively much cheaper here. For example at UMMC, the cost incurred for a surgery is small unless it requires the patients to buy certain special equipment which we do not have," she said.