Heart patients in Kelantan and Terengganu are facing delays in surgery after the only cardiothoracic surgeon serving the two states resigned, leaving Raja Perempuan Zainab II Hospital (HRPZ II) in Kota Bharu without a specialist since October.
A source at the hospital said critical cardiac cases are now being referred to hospitals in Serdang, Penang or Kuantan, depending on availability.
Senator RA Lingeshwaran said about 20 heart patients could wait up to four months for surgery at HRPZ II. He added that a surgeon at Penang Hospital had extended his no-pay leave, which would add to the backlog and further delay operations for patients from the east coast.
Lingeshwaran also said Dr Basheer Ahamed Abdul Kareem, who heads the health ministry’s cardiothoracic surgery service and oversees all seven cardiothoracic units in public hospitals, had resigned with immediate effect on Oct 23. Basheer confirmed his resignation and said the ministry had accepted it, but declined to comment further.
According to Lingeshwaran, there are 12 cardiothoracic surgeons across the seven public hospital units, one of whom is due to retire soon, and the remaining surgeons are under very heavy pressure.
The health ministry has yet to comment on the matter.