Tawau Hospital is slated to begin offering comprehensive cardiology services in the near future.
This marks a significant step in the healthcare landscape of Sabah, particularly for the Tawau, Lahad Datu, Semporna, and Kunak districts.
The upgrade will elevate the hospital’s status to a cardiology referral centre, reducing the need for patients to travel to Kota Kinabalu for specialized heart treatments.
Based on news reports, the initiative is part of a broader plan to decentralize specialized medical care and improve accessibility for residents in rural and remote areas.
The new cardiology services are expected to include advanced diagnostics, interventional procedures, and cardiac rehabilitation.
To facilitate the upgrade, Tawau Hospital be undergoing preparations to accommodate the new services, including the upgrading of facilities and the allocation of specialized medical equipment which include operation of an invasive cardiac laboratory (ICL).
An ICL is commonly referred to as cardiac treatment setups, angiograms, angioplasties and many more. It generally reduces treatment time for heart attack patients.
The lab will offer diagnostic procedures such as coronary angiography, right and left heart catheterisation, interventional treatment and related services.
A tender for the ICL will be issued in a month or two.
Additionally, the Ministry of Health has been working on deploying cardiologists and support staff to ensure the smooth operation of the new department.
Tawau Hospital is a major public hospital in Sabah, Malaysia.
It serves as a crucial healthcare hub for the state’s east coast providing a wide array of specialist services, including general medicine, surgery, pediatrics, and orthopedics.
News source: Bernama, DailyExpress
