The Health Minister have to answer this
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http://forums.delphiforums.com/sammyboymod/messages/?msg=77597
STUNNING TRUTH: Dialysis in Malaysia!
This one is a real STUNNER, I promise you!
I found this out from a Malaysian PR,
but it is confirmed in today's forum page.
So we have the NKF that collects donations
or if you don't like the NKF, you can go
to the KDF. Today's ST reveal more little
facts:
1. The share of dialysis conducted by NKF
has fallen to 44% from 50%.
2. Despite its reserves, many patients were
turned away. Desperate some of them die.
3. The other thing we already know the subsidy
is only 23% - unsubsidised patients pay $180-$280 per session.
subsidised patients about $130+
Yes we are told these are subsidised rates, so
Singaporeans donate over the last 37 years to NKF
to 'help' less fortunate with kidney failure live.
Do you know that there're no big time charity shows in Malaysia?
Why.....have you wondered why?! Why no charity
shows, no crying patients appealing for donations on
TV, ,....nobody saying if you don't help me I'll die? Why no news about people having kidney
failure in Malaysia in Straits Times? A country about
many times our size must need alot of money to care for its numerous
kidney patients...the financial resources they need must be enormous!?...
Do you know some Singaporean kidney patients go
to Malaysia? I was told this by a PR whose mother
had Kidney problems, I simply couldn't believe what he said
until today.
Here is the stunner:
When a foreigner e.g. Singaporean goes to Malaysia to
have his dialysis at one of the very comfortable private
clinics that is "profit oriented", the NON-SUBSIDISED rate
is RM$100 (S$45)!!!
For Malaysians, they pay a subsidised rate of less that S$15-S$23
per session!! Those who are too poor, get free treatment.
Don't believe this, go read the Forum page in ST today!
We have a govt with $100B reserves, minister's that are paid $millions claiming Singapore is a 1st world country. Yet, something as basic as Kidney Dialysis for its citizens, they refused to solve the problem but impose such high medical costs that some citizens who cannot afford it simply die. They have to pass the responsibility to a charity organisation that ended up deceiving the population squeezing it for donations. This a sadder tale than we ever thought. This is what a govt that run its affairs like a business and corporation can do to the people.
Another interesting article in the Forum today, "To feel good Singaporeans should compare themselves with Cubans"....ah yes, WE FEEL SO GOOD NOW!
http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2005/7/11/lifefocus/11231569&sec=lifefocus -
Surviving kidney failure (In Malaysia)
By PATSY KAM
ItÂ’s a long and difficult journey for both parent and child when the latter is diagnosed with end-stage renal disease. Three families share their burden with PATSY KAM.
He's a livewire who canÂ’t sit still and the minute heÂ’s feeling a little better, heÂ’s off teasing his siblings and friends. But cheerful little Mohamad NasriqÂ’s yellow-tinted eyes betray the truth. He has End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) and has to undergo dialysis every day for the rest of his life.
His mother, Zahara Baba, 45, says they discovered he had renal disease when he was one and a half years old.
“He was very bloated as a baby, and when we took him to the clinic, the disease was confirmed.
“This is the seventh year that he’s undergoing Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD),” says Zahara, who used to work in a factory but stopped when Nasriq was diagnosed with this condition.
Nasriq is the youngest of four children, and although he loves playing football, his mother doesnÂ’t allow him to be too active.
“I enjoy playing PS2 (playstation) and eating nasi lemak!” quips the cheeky boy, who may be 13 but is the size of a 10-year-old. That’s because most children with this disease don’t grow to be very big since the body, which can no longer clear waste products, also cannot absorb nutrients efficiently.
Of course, it doesnÂ’t help that children are generally fussy eaters, and since Nasriq has high blood pressure, there are restrictions to his diet.
Zahara, however, often relents and lets him get away with whatever he wants. “When he’s well, he has a great appetite, but that’s not often,” she adds. -
The CAPD treatment is not cheap but the Health Ministry provides the treatment to children at minimal cost.
Parents are only required to pay the difference between conventional haemodialysis and CAPD, which ranges from RM70 to RM400.
For Zahara, the cost used to be about RM300 per month, which is still hard on the pocket as her husband works as a plant maintenance worker. Even making the journey once in three months for NasriqÂ’s medical check-up at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital from Malacca where they live, is tough on finances.
As such, consulting paediatric nephrologist Dr Lim Yam Ngo forwarded NasriqÂ’s case to the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), which now subsidises the boyÂ’s treatment.
Nasriq has just started on Automated Peritoneal Dialysis (APD), a more efficient and convenient form of treatment which costs even more than CAPD. However, the family only pays RM72 per month, thanks to help from NKF.
The foundation has agreed to support children who switch from CAPD to APD by subsidising the cost differential between the two treatments.
“The new treatment is a lot better as it gives me more freedom,” says Nasriq, who is currently in Form One at SMK Durian Tunggal, Malacca. His mother smiles at her chirpy son as at the back of her mind, her foremost worry is how she will be able to afford future treatments when he grows older.
“Children don’t normally get kidney failure.” That’s what Tan Siew Guat, 45, from Klang was told when she consulted a general practitioner.
Her son, Chua Zhen Rong, who was two years old then, had poor appetite and looked bloated. When he didnÂ’t get better, she sought a second opinion from another doctor who conducted a blood test and confirmed it was renal failure.
Since then, Chua, who is now 14, has been going to Kuala Lumpur Hospital for treatment. When he was nine years old, he was put on CAPD.
“We had to make sure that he followed a strict routine. The first exchange would be just before school, then the second time would be right after school, the third, in the late afternoon, and the last session would be in the night.
“It meant that we could never go far as we always had to rush back for his treatments. Of course, holidays are out of the question,” explains Tan, a housewife. She has an older daughter, 17. Her husband works as a mechanic.
Chua, who goes to SMK Klang, has high cholesterol but otherwise, he is encouraged to follow a normal diet.
HeÂ’s also small-sized as heÂ’s a poor eater, and sometimes bigger boys who donÂ’t understand his health problem pick on him. Like most children, he loves fried children, potato chips and soft drinks but these are only allowed in moderation.
Children with ESRF usually drink only about 500ml per day at most as too much fluids can kill them. Otherwise, Chua looks perfectly normal. He has a mischievous twinkle in his eyes and his quick retorts indicate a quick mind. -
Three months ago, Chua switched to APD, which he says is much better as it allows him more time for school activities.
The treatment is carried out at night during which the patient is hooked up to a portable machine for about 10 hours.
Once the tube is inserted, the patient is free to move around within the room. Chua is then free to read a book, watch TV or play computer games if he wants to. But once in a while, he wakes up crying as he gets entangled in the wires, says Tan.
Every month, the family forks out RM306 for APD.
Chua will have a better shot at life if he gets a kidney transplant but his parents canÂ’t help him as Tan herself has renal failure and his father has health problems as well.
Permeela Balakrishnan, 12, didnÂ’t go to school until she was nine because of her illnness.
In contrast to the boys, petite Permeela Balakrishnan, 12, has nothing to say. In fact, throughout the interview, she doesnÂ’t utter a word.
The nurses at Kuala Lumpur Hospital where Permeela undergoes treatment say she has never spoken to them in all her visits.
Her mother, Sentergandy Perumal, 43, is a housewife who is struggling to make ends meet. Her husband works on contract basis in the housing construction sector. They have six children and Permeela is the fifth.
Permeela was started on CAPD when she was nine years old, and only then did she start attending school with help from the hospital which organised the education plan for her.
“We found out she had renal disease when she was two years old. She never attended school as she was always bloated, and fitting her into clothes was a problem,” says Sentergandy, who hails from Batang Berjuntai in Kuala Selangor.
As it is, Permeela doesnÂ’t go for proper medical check-ups as her parents cannot afford to make the trip to Kuala Lumpur regularly.
Her mother usually lets her eat what she wants and although nasi lemak and fried chicken isnÂ’t quite what the doctor recommended, Sentergandy says she has no choice as her daughter refuses to eat home-cooked food. -
MPs urge Singaporeans not to stop giving to charities because of NKF saga
By S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia
SINGAPORE : Set up an independent committee of inquiry to investigate the NKF and put in place a more structured regulatory system for charities.
These were just some of the calls made by MPs when debating the NKF issue on Wednesday.
Dr Amy Khor, mayor of Southwest CDC said: "Although we should not go on a witch-hunt, the public disquiet about the many un-answered questions on the NKF must be fully addressed with no stones unturned. Otherwise this could lead to a very cynical public with deep mistrust for charities and hence, lower philanthropy participation and giving."
Chiam See Tong, MP for Potong Pasir said: "The best form of transparency is to have independent checks on the finances and affairs of the body."
MPs also want the salaries of key officials of larger Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWO) and charities made public.
"The annual remuneration of top executives be disclosed in salary bands the ways listed companies are now required to do. Paying competitive salaries is an acceptable fact of life but providing such information will ensure that IPCs will remove doubts in the minds of their most important stakeholders, the donors," said Tan Soo Koon, MP of East Coast GRC.
"At every union meeting I attended, there were many angry words, frustrations and above all a sense of betrayal. Many were outraged to find out that in 2003, during SARS, when some of them had no pay leave and worked reduced hours to keep their jobs, the CEO of NKF was paid twelve months bonus and all in the name of charity," said Halimah Yacob, MP of Jurong GRC.
The NKF's efficiency was another issue brought up, with Bukit Timah MP Wang Kai Yuen comparing it with another organisation, the Kidney Dialysis Foundation (KDF).
"The staff costs of NKF amounted to $27 million in 2003 while the total staff costs of KDF amounted to a very small $573,000 which is still a tad less than the 600,000 dollars TT Durai drew as NKF CEO. I am here to look at the lessons we could learn from this debacle of how the largest and most successful VWO in Singapore lost the confidence of majority of Singaporeans overnight."
Despite some very strong words against the way the NKF had been managed, the MPs recognised the good work done by the Foundation.
And they are confident this would continue, which was why they say calls for transparency must never overshadow the NKF's main objective, and that is serving those who need kidney dialysis.
So they urged Singaporeans not to stop giving to charities including the NKF, saying that the cause must be separate from TT Durai, the man.
The debate on the NKF issue continues on Thursday -
Can I sign up as a donar to NKF Malaysia?
This is just in case I have kidney problem before i migrate.
Or maybe I should migrate to Malaysia? -
NKF can outsource its dialysis to Malaysia then the reserves can last 100 years.
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malaysia is actually a very nice country.
sure, there is business favouritism for the Malays, but the effects filter down to the other races.
Malaysians are generally more satisfied with life than Singaporeans, yea, even the non-Malays.... -
You think so? Hah, the chinese there are never happyOriginally posted by idwar:malaysia is actually a very nice country.
sure, there is business favouritism for the Malays, but the effects filter down to the other races.
Malaysians are generally more satisfied with life than Singaporeans, yea, even the non-Malays.... -
TT Durai's daughter appeals to PM Lee to help restore her father's honour
TT Durai's daughter appeals to PM Lee to help restore her father's honour
SINGAPORE : The daughter of TT Durai, the former CEO of the National Kidney Foundation, has appealed to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to help restore her father's honour and reputation if a review of the NKF shows there have not been any wrongdoings.
Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan disclosed this in Parliament on Thursday.
Mr Khaw, who was responding to points made by MPs over the two days of debate, had urged the House to also look at the issue from the perspective of Mr Durai's family.
He said Mr Durai's daughter, a junior college student who is mature for her age, had emailed the Prime Minister.
Saying she was adversely affected by the fiasco, she wrote: "Since I was young, my father had very little time to spend with usÂ…I always asked myself why my father had no time for us. Were we less important to him than his patients? Was his work more important than us?"
And she went on to ask Mr Lee, "After the review by the new board, you will help him to restore his reputation and honour, if no wrong doings were found?"
Mr Khaw said Mr Durai's achievements for the NKF were real and significant.
But ego and arrogance could have gone to his head, leading to poor judgement and insensitivity.
Mr Khaw cautioned, "I think there are lessons for us here. No matter how great our achievements are, we live for others. Look at the late Mr Hon Sui Sen. There was no ego in the man. He completely personified humility.
"Likewise the late President Wee Kim Wee and hence the huge outpouring of emotions at his funeral. President S.R. Nathan is another such humble man who has done great for society, but remains his past self."
Mr Khaw also had a word of caution for other players in the NKF saga.
He said, "I scanned through the local media today. I could not help noticing the different spin The Straits Times put to the MPs' speeches yesterday, compared to all the other local media, like TODAY and ZaoBao. Let us hope arrogance has not also gone to the head of the victor in the Court case." -
Anyway... Have never read ST seriously... Attack here and there...
Even bus fare hike, that snr reporter talked nonsense... Say SBS only use bus for 12 yrs instead of 17 yrs... If that's the case, the Non aircon single decks would have been scrapped 5-6 yrs ago -
knn T T Durai's daughter shd have written a letter asking for forgiveness from the public for the wrong doings of her father, not forgetting the fact that public money is used to paid the road tax of their family car, public money is used to pay for his father 1.8 million salary and public money is used to pay for the golden tap.knn
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SPH and the MIW not on good terms now?
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CAN YOU JUST CONTROL YOURSELF!Originally posted by crazy monkey:knn T T Durai's daughter shd have written a letter asking for forgiveness from the public for the wrong doings of her father, not forgetting the fact that public money is used to paid the road tax of their family car, public money is used to pay for his father 1.8 million salary and public money is used to pay for the golden tap.knn
Another thread scold govt for cash downpayment, when now is more lack, lsat time was 20%, now is 5%...
I dunno what you want -
... and minister khaw your performance in parliament is pathetic. dialysis in private hospital in K L is only a fraction of that in Singapore. How are you going to explain tat Mr Khaw ? knn your ministry need an audit as well
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SHUT UP!Originally posted by crazy monkey:... and minister khaw your performance in parliament is pathetic. dialysis in private hospital in K L is only a fraction of that in Singapore. How are you going to explain tat Mr Khaw ? knn your ministry need an audit as well
What is the lifestyle in MY vs SG?? Are the ppl there unhealthy, have high BP, fats or sort? Are they stressful?
THINK 1ST BEFORE POSTING -
20 % is CPF you farking idiot. go and read the whole thread. knnOriginally posted by sbst275:CAN YOU JUST CONTROL YOURSELF!
Another thread scold govt for cash downpayment, when now is more lack, lsat time was 20%, now is 5%...
I dunno what you want -
you farking brain-washed idiot. knnOriginally posted by sbst275:SHUT UP!
What is the lifestyle in MY vs SG?? Are the ppl there unhealthy, have high BP, fats or sort? Are they stressful?
THINK 1ST BEFORE POSTING -
Where got CPF???Originally posted by crazy monkey:20 % is CPF you farking idiot. go and read the whole thread. knn
Already it was CASH!!! CAN'T YOU GET IT INTO YOUR BRAINS!!!
If it was CPF, I dun even think they need to make it 20%... Can be 50% - 70% -
SHUT UP!Originally posted by crazy monkey:you farking brain-washed idiot. knn
Every Singaporean are in risk of getting heart dieseases, kidney disease as of our lifestyle... You tell me frankly, do you exercise regularly? Eat less oily food? -
you never buy hse before shut up you farking idiot. it is CPF not cash. knn farking idiot.Originally posted by sbst275:Where got CPF???
Already it was CASH!!! CAN'T YOU GET IT INTO YOUR BRAINS!!!
If it was CPF, I dun even think they need to make it 20%... Can be 50% - 70% -
Mod, pls edit the post... It is defamatory as usage of vulgarityOriginally posted by crazy monkey:you never buy hse before shut up you farking idiot. it is CPF not cash. knn farking idiot.
Anyway... It is 10% cash and 10% CPF... Stupid fool -
farking brain-washed idiot. knn how old are small boi ? your teacher always tell you pap good ? wake up and see for yourself. knnOriginally posted by sbst275:Mod, pls edit the post... It is defamatory as usage of vulgarity
Anyway... It is 10% cash and 10% CPF... Stupid fool -
JUST SHUT UP...Originally posted by crazy monkey:farking brain-washed idiot. knn how old are small boi ? your teacher always tell you pap good ? wake up and see for yourself. knn
I dun support PAP or sort... Or talk rubbish like you, never see things then scold...
Last time, in the 1980's, downpayment was either 20% cash or 10% CPF 10% cash... Now is 5% cash... Rest can be bank loan... Isn't now better? Can't you just think?
Anyway, SPH might have gotten into trouble -
what,tell me more can?Originally posted by sbst275:Anyway, SPH might have gotten into trouble