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KUCHING: The RM20 million allocation for the Sarawak Cancer Centre under the Sarawak 2027 Budget should be complemented by stronger screening, early diagnosis and referral services.
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) medical lecturer and public health medicine specialist Assoc Prof Dr Neilson Richard Seling said the investment could improve access to specialised treatment, but rural and remote patients must be diagnosed early enough to benefit.
“A well-developed cancer centre could potentially reduce the need for patients to seek specialised treatment outside Sarawak, minimise treatment delays and reduce the financial and emotional burden experienced by patients and their families.
“An advanced cancer centre will have limited population-level impact if patients continue to present with advanced disease because they lack access to screening, early diagnostic services or timely referrals,” he told Sarawak Tribune.
Dr Neilson called for a comprehensive statewide cancer control programme covering prevention, health education, screening, early diagnosis, referral pathways, treatment and survivorship care.
He said district hospitals and rural clinics should receive adequate support to identify suspected cases, while selected diagnostic and follow-up services could be decentralised to reduce unnecessary travel.
“We must therefore plan not only for the construction of the facility but also for the long-term availability of the workforce, operational funding and supporting services required to sustain quality cancer care.
“Our ambition should be to develop not simply a world-class cancer centre, but a world-class cancer care system that remains accessible to every Sarawakian, regardless of socioeconomic background or place of residence,” he said.
On financial assistance, Dr Neilson welcomed the RM50 million allocation for the Senior Citizens Health Benefit and RM14.2 million for health-related assistance, including renal support.
He said these measures could ease patients’ burdens, although assistance should also consider transportation, accommodation, food, lost income and the cost of an accompanying family member.
“Healthcare costs are not limited to medical bills. A patient may receive subsidised treatment but still struggle financially simply because accessing that treatment requires repeated journeys over long distances,” he said.
Dr Neilson said eligibility criteria and application procedures should be reviewed regularly to ensure vulnerable patients could obtain assistance without unnecessary administrative barriers.
He also advocated greater investment in screening, health literacy and chronic disease management, noting that poorly controlled diabetes and hypertension were major contributors to chronic kidney disease.
“Financial assistance should be complemented by strategies that reduce the incidence of preventable complications and the need for costly long-term treatment. As such, Sarawak should pursue both objectives simultaneously: protecting patients from financial hardship today while reducing the future burden of preventable diseases,” he added.
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