MSCRS president: Malaysia in dire need of colorectal surgeons
KUCHING, March 3 — Malaysian Society of Colorectal Surgeons (MSCRS) president Professor Dr April Camilla Roslan today said that Malaysia is in dire need of colorectal surgeons, particularly to manage the more advanced and complex cases.
She said there are less than 80 colorectal surgeons in the country with a population of over 30 million.
“We have calculated that for Malaysia, it should be 200 to 300. But at the moment we have less than 80 in the whole of the country, most of them are in Peninsular Malaysia,” she told reporters after the opening of a three-day Annual Scientific Congress of the Malaysian Society of Colorectal Surgeons (MSCRS).
The congress was opened by Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian, who is also the state Minister of Public Health, Local Government and Housing.
Dr April said Sarawak has only three colorectal surgeons, one of them attached to the Sarawak General Hospital while the other two are in Universiti Malaysia Sarawak and Sibu Hospital.
She said many of the colorectal cancer patients at the private hospitals in Sarawak are managed by general surgeons.
Dr April said Sarawak recorded an average of 300 cases of colorectal cancer yearly.
Dr Sim, who was present at the press conference, said colorectal cancer is the fourth most common disease in Malaysia.
“The specialists all have realised that there are so many deaths due to colon cancer due to lack of screening.
“That is why they (MSCRS) are doing an awareness week campaign this month,” he said.
He said cancer of all types is the second most common in Sarawak, explaining the reason why the state government is keen to go ahead with the building of the Sarawak Cancer Centre in Samarahan.
He added Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has agreed in principle to the construction of the cancer centre estimated to cost RM1 billion.
“In fact, the previous two prime ministers had agreed to the construction, but they left office before formally signing any agreement with the state government,” he said.
He said the state Health Department had presented details of the cancer centre to the Ministry of Health.
He said it has been proposed that the Sarawak government would build the centre using its own funds while its operation will be run by the federal government, including providing medical personnel, and other facilities.
He said it is the same with the Sarawak Heart Centre, with the federal government paying a token rental of RM10 to the state government while the operation is run by the federal government.
He said Tropical Disease Infectious Centre, Sarawak Biodiversity Centre and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak’s hospital are under construction in the area where the cancer centre will be built.
The Sarawak Heart Centre, which is also in the area, is already in operation.
“This area will be a medical hub in Samarahan,” he said.
