Rescuing The Heart

This month, the country’s first charitable cardiac diagnostic centre opens. We speak to Dato’ ’Aliyah Karen, the lady behind the initiative.

- Aileen Chow

We celebrate World Heart Day on September 26 and there’s no time more fitting than this month to spread awareness about how heart disease is critically affecting the lives of Malaysians right now. In 2016, ischaemic heart diseases was the principal cause of death among Malaysians – it accounted for 13.2 per cent (that’s 21,410 lives) from the total number of deaths; in fact, it has been the leading cause of death in the country for the last 20 years. That’s a shocking figure, and it goes to show how many of us have coronary heart disease or is at risk of developing it.

Reaching out to needy heart patients

A programme initiated and expedited by the MAA Medicare Charitable Foundation under the leadership of its CEO, Dato’ ’Aliyah Karen, the MAA Medicare Cardiac Diagnostic Centre will open its doors to the public this month to provide quality care for underprivileged cardiac patients at a highly subsidised cost.