JOHOR BAHRU, 24 July 2016 – Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) has taken the initiative to establish a Dialysis Centre to provide care for staff, students and their dependents who are facing kidney problems.
The centre which is operated by the University Health Centre is equipped with 15 dialysis machines capable of treating up to 60 patients a day and saving an expenditure of RM500 million a year.
UTM Health Centre Director, Dr. Ismail Ahmad said currently UTM bears the cost of treatment of 46 dialysis patients with an allocation of RM1.5 million a year. The centre is also expected to be able to accommodate the needs of all dialysis patients living in UTM Skudai and Johor Bahru by the end of 2016.
“This centre was developed as one of the Financial Recycle programs implemented by UTM Health Centre following the successes of the health and medical cases that were previously outsourced and was brought in to be done in-house”, he said.
UTM Dialysis Centre was inaugurated by the Director General of Public Service, Tan Sri Mohamad Zabidi Zainal after delivering a public talk held at the Dewan Sultan Iskandar, Johor Bahru campus.
“Given the facilities available at the UTM Dialysis Centre that are able to treat more patients than the existing number, the Health Centre plans to offer services to external customers to generate income.
“With the existing facilities, UTM staff can be treated with a more flexible schedule which allows them to continue their routine activity including teaching and learning in comfort compared to treatment centres outside,” he said.
The centre will also make it easier for dialysis patients under UTM staff dependents where they do not have to waste time sending these patients to seek treatment away from campus.
“The Dialysis Centre can provide opportunities for learning and research collaboration either within or outside the university.
“At this time, a lecturer of the Faculty of Computing UTM is currently working with the University Health Centre developing a dialysis patient care records system,” he said.
The centre was also selected as a place of training for medical students, Diploma of Nursing and paramedics of some private colleges.
Also attending the ceremony were the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Datuk Ir. Dr. Wahid Omar, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research and Innovation, Prof. Dr. Ahmad Fauzy Ismail, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs and Alumni, Prof. Datuk Dr. Ismail Abd. Aziz and Deputy Vice Chancellor of Development, Prof. Dr. Azlan Abdul Rahman.