A FATHER and son team was praised for donating a dialysis machine to the JHM Rotary Haemodialysis Centre in George Town yesterday.
Komtar assemblyman Teh Lai Heng complimented Raymond Tan and his son Aaron for supporting the centre and also the centre’s medical doctor Dr K. Danesh for his centre’s worthy services.
“It is very important for kind people like donors Mr Raymond Tan and his son Mr Aaron Tan to continue supporting our local non-profit haemodialysis centres,” Teh said in his speech.
“This act of kindness is twice as important now with the global pandemic eating away funds of both the government and the common people. Donations for charities have dropped all around.
“I would like to thank everyone again for the good work and support they have given to the community and I hope that they will continue with their selfless work.”
Teh said dialysis treatment is a costly affair and yet it is the only way to extend the lives for many Malaysians who are suffering from end stage kidney failures.
Each session of treatment costs around RM300 to RM400. Typically, a patient needs three treatment sessions per week. And this means each patient has to spend about RM4,000 per month just to survive.
“For many poorer folk who don’t even have enough money to put food on the table, this is impossible for them to achieve and therefore they often need to rely on the kindness of NGOs like JHM Rotary Haemodialysis Centre to sponsor or subsidise the cost,” Teh added.
According to the National Action Plan for Healthy Kidney for 2018-2025, released by the Health Ministry, it is estimated that up to 51,000 Malaysian will suffer from serious kidney disease that will cause them to require dialysis treatment, and the number of patients will only increase by the year.
Story by K.H. Ong