The HEALTH : January 2019 | Page 32

The Health Plus | january, 2019 08 p08 i Trust ijn IMAGE EXCELLENCE... Tan Sri Dr Zeti (third from right) officiated IJN's launching of its new imaging center and acquirement of new PET-CT scanner. IJN is now the center of excellence in cardiac imaging New imaging technology contributed by PNB puts IJN’s imaging center at the top We at PNB are indeed delighted to have had the opportunity to support IJN as it advances towards becoming a global center of excellence in cardiovascular and thoracic care.” – Tan Sri Dr Zeti Aziz I nstitut Jantung Negara (IJN) has improved its scanning and imaging technology, as part of its efforts as a center for excel- lence in cardiac imaging. The centre has acquired a new Positron Emission Tomography- Computed Tomography (PET-CT) scanner, and has upgraded one of its Computed Tomography (CT) scanners. These machines reflect the latest in imaging technology, with capabilities that include faster and more accurate diagnostic results, and minimal radia- tion exposure. Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye applauded IJN for continuously being at the cutting-edge of science in delivering care and treatment for patients. “From utilising less invasive methods to carry out complex heart surgery, to implementing comprehensive solutions to help patients prevent and manage life-threatening illnesses; the center has set a high benchmark for local healthcare providers as well,” he says during the launching. “It is my hope that IJN will help with our awareness raising efforts in encouraging more Malaysians to undergo regular screening for earlier Dr Lee Boon Chye. Dato Seri Dr Mohd Azhari Yakub. detection of such diseases. The center’s services will help reduce the workload of public hospitals and the National Cancer Institute.” IJN Chief Executive Officer Dato Seri Dr Mohd Azhari Yakub agreed, saying that IJN is committed to establishing an imaging center that offers a compre- hensive range of non-invasive diagnostic imaging for a wide scope of medical needs. “Our imaging capabilities extend beyond cardiac care alone, as our approach to medicine is to treat the patient as a whole. This move towards integrated healthcare means we need to expand our scope to other fields of medicine as these in turn affect the heart.” He explains. Both machines are sponsored by Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) under its corporate social responsibility initiative. PNB Group Chairman, Tan Sri Dr Zeti Aziz says: “We at PNB are indeed delighted to have had the opportunity to support IJN as it advances towards becoming a global center of excellence in cardiovascular and thoracic care.” Dr Azhari adds; “We are also pricing the PET-CT imaging at competitive rates for the benefit of our patients, with a maximum of RM3,000 for oncology screening compared to RM4,000 in other facilities.” The rates were made possible by PNB’s contribution. “We can pass on the savings of acquiring tis new technology to our patients by reducing the costs involved,” he tells. Dr Azhari, on behalf of IJN mentioned how they welcome more corporate partners to collaborate as the manner of support will benefit more patients. — The Health Plus Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) provided IJN with new imaging technology as part of their corporate social responsibility program.