Sultan Azlan Shah Foundation Donates To IJN, Mercy Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 29 (Bernama) -- The Sultan Azlan Shah Foundation today donated RM300,000 (US$100.14 thousand) to the National Heart Institute (IJN) and RM200,000 (US$66.76 thousand) to the Malaysian Medical Relief Society (Mercy Malaysia) at Istana Perak here. The donations were presented by The Crown Prince of Malaysian Northern State of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah. IJN chief executive officer Dr Rabaayah Zambahari said the fund would be used to cover the cost of MitraClip therapy for three heart patients suffering from leaky mitral valve in April. "We need funds to enable heart patients to benefit from new procedures, equipment and devices and we are grateful to the Sultan of Perak Foundation. "The MitraClip is on non-invasive procedure carried out by inserting a clip alongside the leaky mitral valve through a delivery system via a vein in the groin. "It is administered to those who cannot undergo surgery or categorised as high-risk patients. Currently, six patients are on the waiting list," she told reporters after receiving the contribution. Introduced in December last year, she said so far seven patients had benefited from the procedure, which was acknowledged to promote faster and more effective healing than surgical techniques. Mercy Malaysia vice-president II Norazam Ab Samah said the fund would be used by Mercy for its relief operations in Somalia and the Philippines. He said medical assistance would be top priority for Somalia while rehabilitation for the Mindanao, the Philippines, which was recovering from the Sendong tropical storm which claimed over 1,000 lives in December last year. -- BERNAMA