Sufferings caused by QEH evacuation

Beaufort, Mar 17, 2009: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) shared the inconveniences and grievances suffered as a result of the evacuation of QEH where various patients were being sent to other district hospitals for their treatments. One of such cases was a 44-year-old patient who was paralyzed.

SAPP president Datuk Yong Teck Lee, together with some of his supreme councillors (Vice Presidents, Chin Hon Kiong and Datuk Rashid Gador, Information Chief Chong Pit Fah, Assistant Secretary General Foo Fook Ming, supreme councillor member Thomas Chong) and the Beaufort Liaison Committee representatives, went on an unscheduled visit to the Beaufort Hospital after they attended a religious ceremony in Weston.

According to Chong Pit Fah, this patient by the name of Liew Kon Fatt, who was transferred from the KK Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) to Beaufort Hospital, had the misfortune of being deprived of frequent visits by family and friends. He was also diagnosed with other illnesses and pending medical operation.

Liew, who stayed in Putera Jaya, Telipok, paralyzed as a result of an accident while at work last year, lost a leg. He was admitted into QEH and underwent physiotherapy until September 2008, when they (QEH) transferred him to Beaufort hospital because other government run clinics in Kota Kinabalu do not provide physiotherapy treatment.

In a weak and sober voice, Liew said he longed for visitors especially his family members to be comforted but distance kept them away from him.

He is now pending (on queue) for the hospital to arrange when to remove his gall bladder stones.

Chong queried the government on when the Kota Kinabalu residents can get back a fully equipped and functional hospital.

"They don't even have back-up power supply in the hospital during last night's blackout in Kota Kinabalu," said Chong referring to QEH.

"The Khidmat Hospital proposal is a really bad idea" reiterated Chong. "Not a cent was allocated by the Economic Stimulus Package went to help resolving the hospital crisis in Kota Kinabalu. They have money for submarines, compensation to highway companies, but no money for life-saving hospital?" Chong asked.