KUCHING: The Senior Citizen Health Benefit (SCHB) initiative in Sarawak has gained participation from 88 private clinics registered under the Sarawak Social Welfare Department (JKMS) panel.
During a press conference on SCHB at Baitulmakmur Building II, Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah revealed that these clinics include both dental clinics and private clinics across the state.
“We hope to see more clinics joining the department’s panel for this new initiative introduced by the state government,” she stated.
Fatimah mentioned that the official launch of the initiative would take place during the Sarawak Day celebration in Bintulu. Eligibility for the SCHB program is limited to individuals aged 60 or above, starting from July 1, 2024.
“We currently have 91,667 senior citizens registered in our system, including recipients of JKMS assistance and hardcore poor eKasih recipients who are 60 years old or older,” she explained.
She added, “Those who turn 60 on July 1 this year must apply for this initiative at any JKMS office in their area to benefit from SCHB. The initiative will be implemented in phases, with online applications available from October onwards, and by January 2025, the entire process will be automated.”
Besides age, Fatimah highlighted that SCHB is exclusively for Malaysian citizens with a ‘K’ status identity card, having a monthly household income of RM7,000 or below, Kenyalang Gold Card holders, and those not receiving outpatient treatment funding from any other agencies.
Furthermore, she clarified that each eligible elderly individual would receive an annual aid of RM500. However, if they exhaust their assistance before the year ends would have to pay for subsequent treatments out of their pockets until the next year’s allocation is provided.
“As we age, we recognize that senior citizens often face health issues. Additionally, they may experience lengthy waiting periods when seeking treatment at public hospitals and clinics,” Fatimah explained.
he continued, “Considering these factors, we have introduced this initiative to alleviate the burden on senior citizens and reduce congestion in public healthcare facilities. It’s a win-win situation.”
Under the SCHB programme, senior citizens can access outpatient medical services for health problems such as fever, cold, headache, diarrhoea and vomiting, sprains, mild skin irritation (allergic/itching), gout, and others.
Regarding dental services, they can receive extractions, fillings, dentures (with a minimum charge of RM250 for denture production), and other services at private dental clinics, as long as the total cost does not exceed RM500.
However, the initiative does not cover expenses for follow-ups, health screening that requires laboratory testing, TeleMedicine (virtual healthcare services), aesthetic treatments, or ambulance usage.
