BINTULU: The Senior Citizen Health Benefit (SCHB) is an initiative by the Sarawak government to provide outpatient treatment services for senior citizens at designated clinics.
Minister of Women, Childhood, and Community Wellbeing Development, Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah stated that the state government introduced this initiative especially for senior citizens.
She emphasised the initiative was to ensure senior citizens receive good support systems and well-being during their declining years.
“We are aware that visiting government clinics or hospitals can take a long time to receive treatment. Therefore, we are providing outpatient services for senior citizens with a limit of RM500 per year on a cashless basis.
“In principle, it involves consultants from the Sarawak State Health department, and several government-recognised panel clinics have been selected,” she added.
She said this during the Senior Citizen Health Benefit (SCHB) Engagement Program with private panel clinics and hospitals in Bintulu recently.
Fatimah expressed hope that the implementation would proceed smoothly so that it could be officially launched on August 10 by Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, in conjunction with Women’s Day celebration in Sibu.
She also emphasised that the state government has always prioritised the well-being of senior citizens.
Among those present during the event were permanent secretary Datuk Felicia Tan Ya Hua, director of the Social Welfare Department, Semawi Mohamad and chief executive officer of Columbia Asia Hospital-Bintulu, Hazlim Sham Ibrahim.
