A GOOD quality medical service should not be the privilege of the rich, but it is the basic need of every individual. Holding on to this principle, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) has expressed its desire to build a charitable hospital with top-notch facilities in Penang.
Pertubuhan Penganut Mata Amritanandamayi Malaysia trustee and secretary general K. Kalidas said the hospital would have 500 beds, out of which 250 would be allocated for dialysis patients, 150 for intensive care units (ICU) and 100 for normal patients.
“The idea to build the hospital was inspired by my guru, Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, an Indian Hindu spiritual leader and humanitarian or better known as ‘Amma’. She has built a 1,500-bed charitable hospital in India (Amrita Hospital).
“A total of RM 2 billion will be invested in this project in which RM1 billion will be used for the construction and another RM1 billion will be placed in a fixed deposit and its interest would be used to run the hospital.
“We are now identifying the location for the hospital in south Seberang Perai district and are targeting to complete the project by 2025,’’ he said during an interview with the Buletin Mutiara team recently.
‘Amma’ or ‘Mother’ is revered as a hugging saint by her followers. She has been to over 25 countries and hugged nearly four million people over the past four decades. She has also built over 47,000 homes for the poor in India and offered them free food.
She has visited Malaysia a few times, including Penang in 2012, 2017 and 2018.
According to Kalidas, the hospital, which aims to cater to the underprivileged, would rope in first class doctors who would be well paid.
“Though we are a charitable hospital, we will ensure that our patients are given the best medical treatment with the best facilities.
“We will set up a care team to check the background of patients and those who cannot afford will be given free medical services.
“But for those who can pay, we will receive payment from them,’’ added Kalidas, who is a Penangite.
Kalidas also said the project would also help to generate some 2,000 employment opportunities for the locals.
“The people in the vicinity of the hospital can benefit from our project in terms of employment. Other than that, it will also help to contribute to our medical tourism.
“I also notice that many patients have to travel from the mainland to the island for their treatment at Penang Hospital, which at times can be troublesome for them.
“Perhaps by having a hospital in the SPS district, it would be very convenient for the mainland folks as well as the people in the northern region such as Kedah,’’ Kalidas said, adding that vocational training for nursing would be offered in the hospital as well.
Although some people may see this project as something impossible to achieve, Kalidas is optimistic that it can be done.
“What we are trying to do is just a quarter of what ‘Amma’ has accomplished. Meanwhile, she also intends to build a charitable hospital with 2,000 beds in Faridabad in New Delhi.
“We will also collaborate with other charitable organisations when the hospital starts its operation so as to reach out to more people and help those who are in need.
“My friends were suggesting me to open the hospital phase by phase. Maybe when 50 beds are ready, we can start receiving patients. Let us see how it goes.
“In a nutshell, this hospital will serve our people irrespective of race and religion and it is for the benefit of our future generations,’’ said Kalidas.
Story by Tanushalini Moroter
Pix by Adleena Rahayu Ahmad Radzi