Health Dept refutes viral claims of no cardiology specialist, delayed treatment during Hari Raya

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, April 3: The claim that no cardiology specialists were on duty at the Sarawak Heart Centre during the Hari Raya Aidilfitri holiday, resulting in prolonged patient wait times for treatment, is false.

In a statement yesterday (April 2) posted on its official social media, the Sarawak Health Department also dismissed allegations that a patient received medical attention only after a social media post went viral.

The department was referring to a viral Facebook post on March 30, 2025, which alleged delays in cardiology treatment at the Sarawak Heart Centre.

“Investigations by the hospital and the department revealed that the case involved a patient referred by a private hospital for further treatment at the Sarawak Heart Centre on March 28, 2025.

“Official medical records confirm that the patient arrived at the Emergency Department at 1am on March 29, 2025, and was promptly assessed by an Emergency Medical Officer at 1.10am.

“The case was then referred to a Cardiology Medical Officer, who was attending to another critically ill patient. At 4.33am, following consultation with the on-call Cardiology Specialist, the patient was admitted to a special ward for further treatment,” the statement added.

At 9.30am the same day, the patient was reassessed by the Cardiology Specialist, alongside the Cardiology Medical Officer and a team of nurses, during the routine morning ward rounds.

These ward rounds are conducted daily by specialists and their teams, regardless of whether it is a public holiday or a regular working day.

The department urged all parties to verify information through official sources before sharing issues on social media as spreading inaccurate information can mislead the public and erode trust in healthcare services.

“The department values public concern and feedback and remains committed to delivering high-quality, efficient, and patient-centered healthcare at all times,” the statement concluded. — DayakDaily

Advertisement