OVER 19,000 CONTRIBUTORS BENEFIT FROM PERKESO DIALYSIS FACILITIES - SIM

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 16 (Bernama) – More than 19,000 contributors to the Social Security Organisation (Perkeso) have benefited from an allocation exceeding RM400 million for dialysis treatment at Perkeso dialysis centres throughout last year.

Human Resources Minister Steven Sim said the allocation represents the agency's annual expenditure for operating its dialysis centres, and the cost of managing these centres to treat diabetes and kidney patients increases every year.

“The average increase in patients is approximately 15 to 16 percent annually, with an additional 2,550 insured individuals (OB) requiring dialysis treatment. This is a concerning trend, but we are also conducting awareness campaigns such as the ‘Say No to Sugar’ campaign launched by Perkeso,” he said.

He told this to reporters after officiating the Perkeso Dialysis Centre Kuala Lumpur branch at Wisma Perkesohere  today, which was also attended by Perkeso chairman Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal.

Elaborating further, Sim said the fifth dialysis centre branch was opened last November following similar facilities established in Kluang and Batu Pahat in Johor as well as Shah Alam and Klang in Selangor.

" The Kuala Lumpur branch is equipped with six dialysis machines, capable of serving 18 patients in three sessions daily to help Perkeso contributors receive quality treatment. If necessary, we will add more machines,” he said.

Meanwhile, Subahan, in his speech, said Perkeso is committed to assisting contributors suffering from kidney disease through the establishment of its own dialysis centres, offering quality treatment comparable to private centres at an affordable cost.

“Although the cost is projected to exceed RM0.5 billion by 2030, this strategic initiative is significant in easing the financial burden of OB.

“In addition to reducing patients’ out-of-pocket expenses, Perkeso Dialysis Centres also provide transportation services to ensure patients can continue their treatment without hindrance, in line with our commitment to continuous improvement in meeting customer satisfaction,” he said.

In another development, Subahan urged workers in both the public and private sectors to maintain a healthy diet and adopt a healthy lifestyle, as the Perkeso Health Screening Programme analysis up to December 2024 revealed that 23.15 percent of workers are obese.

He said 19.39 percent of workers in the country also suffer from diabetes, 19.66 percent from hypertension, 59.75 percent from cholesterol issues, and 0.38 percent are in the final stage of kidney disease.

-- BERNAMA