Sime Darby opens new RM240m medical centre

Malaysian Reserve Sime Darby Medical Centre (SDMC) has opened a new medical centre in Ara Damansara, Selangor, which is said to be the first standalone facility to focus on heart, brain, spine and joint medical cases.

The centre, built at a cost of RM240 million, was launched yesterday by the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj. According to the chairman of Sime Darby Healthcare Group, Tan Sri Dr Wan Mohd Zahid Mohd Noordin, the setup of the medical centre is aimed to set a new benchmark in the provision of healthcare services in the region.

"Over the last two decades, the Sime Darby Healthcare Group (SDHG) has scored numerous achievements and mi lestones in Malaysia's medical history and our flagship medical centre, the SDMC in Subang Jaya, is today a multiple award winning private hospital that complies with globally-recognised standards.

"In line with Sime Darby Healthcare's vision of becoming a gold standard healthcare provider in the region, it is only natural that we leverage on our experience and expertise to set a new benchmark for the healthcare industry, which is reflected in our new medical centre in Ara Damansara," Dr Wan Mohd Zahid said.

According to Dr Wan Mohd Zahid, there is currently a need for greater capacity to treat heart, brain, spine and joint-related cases in Malaysia and the region.

"SDMC Ara Damansara is specially tailored to meet those needs with our three centres of excellence, for instance, our paediatric and adult heart centres are led by specialists whose reputation has been built upon decades of cutting edge practices and innovation.

"In addition, we have state-of-the-art equipment such as an EP (electrophysiology) unit with a 3D mapping system and in essence, this helps us detect and treat more types of heart diseases in less time," he explained.

SDMC Ara Damansara will feature 220 beds, 30 clinic suites, five operating theatres and two cardiovascular laboratories and will also have a fully-equipped, rehabilitation facility which includes neurospinal rehabilitation (stroke and spinal injuries), paediatric therapy, musculoskeletal rehabilitation, occupational therapy, hydrotherapy and speech therapy.

In addition, the facility features a comprehensive multisensory room for sensory stimulation for children with autism, learning difficulties, attention deficit disorder and hyper-active disorder.

SDMC is a unit under SDHG and a division within the public-listed Sime Darby Bhd. SDHG currently comprises of Sime Darby Medical Centre Subang Jaya, Sime Darby Specialist Centre Megah and Sime Darby Nursing & Health Sciences College.

Also present at the launching ceremony were the Mentri Besar of Selangor Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim and Sime Darby's president and group chief executive Datuk Mohd Bakke Salleh