By D.Viswa
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 29: The newly opened Columbia Asia Hospital (CA) in Bukit Jalil here expects to continue to raise awareness on the possibility for people to prevent diabetes through the Prediabetic Care Program (PCP) that the hospital piloted and currently runs in its hospitals nationwide.
Speaking at the launch of the new hospital in Bukit Jalil on Tuesday, Feb 27, its CEO and managing director Dr. Chan Boon Keng said running the programme would be part of CA’s small contribution towards the prevention of diabetes. The annual healthcare costs for diabetes is said to be higher than that of cancer and cardiovascular diseases and intervention during prediabetic stage can help prevent the onset of diabetes.
The hospital’s PCP is a six-month hybrid health supervision programme intended to help individuals prevent or delay diabetes through diet and lifestyle modifications.
As for the hospital in Bukit Jalil, it is expected to serve the community of Bukit Jalil, a township with more than 200,000 population. Dr. Chan said that Columbia Asia hospitals, which had begun as community-centred and mid-sized hospitals, have now expanded into bigger format hospitals, providing more complex medical disciplines.
The hospital in Bukit Jalil is the 18th for the group and plans are also underway to open a 200-bed hospital in Penang next year, while other hospitals under its wings are set for expansion and increased capacities.
— WE