After his wife suffered a brain haemorrhage that required her to stay in a hospital in Malaysia for 26 days and undergo surgery, a man understandably grew worried about the bills.
Source: Lee Vi Hua on Facebook
However, he was pleasantly surprised when he was charged just RM258 (S$74), and praised Malaysia’s healthcare system as the kindest in the world.
In a Facebook post on 9 Jan, a happy and relieved Mr Lee Vi Hua related the story of a harrowing 26 days for his family.
On 15 Dec last year, two days before the family was due to go on a vacation to Japan, his wife Vicki suddenly complained of a splitting headache at about 6pm.
Symptoms were so severe that her face turned white, she broke out in a cold sweat and couldn’t even get out of bed and walk.
Source: Lee Vi Hua on Facebook
They went to a nearby clinic, where the doctor prescribed painkillers and told her to rest at home.
The next day, as Vicki was still suffering from the headache, they took her to a private hospital for a CT Scan.
Unfortunately, the doctor there diagnosed her with a brain haemorrhage.
Source: Lee Vi Hua on Facebook
They said she needed to undergo a brain coiling procedure urgently. This involves approaching the aneurysm from inside the blood vessel via a catheter to seal it off, so there is no need to open the skull.
Source: Lee Vi Hua on Facebook
This procedure was available only at Gleneagles Hospital in Johor, a private hospital, or the central government hospital in Johor Bahru.
When Mr Lee asked how much the surgery would cost at the private hospital, the doctor estimated it to be about RM150,000 (S$43,000).
However, he ultimately chose to go to the private hospital to alleviate his wife’s suffering. Though she had insurance, he was still worried about the cost.
On 17 Dec, Vicki went to Gleneagles, where she underwent pre-surgery testing.
As luck would have it, though, she tested positive for Covid-19.
Due to Malaysian Health Ministry regulations, that meant she had to be transferred to the central government hospital in JB.
After being transferred, she had to be isolated for five days in a Covid-19 ward, which meant that Mr Lee and their children could only communicate with her via Facetime.
When she finally tested negative on 23 Dec, there was another complication — their neurologist was now on vacation.
Mr Lee called Gleneagles to ask them whether they could do the surgery, and received a similar answer — their doctor was also on vacation for two weeks. Thus, they suggested Vicki remain at the central government hospital for the surgery.
That meant that she would have to spend her birthday in hospital.
Resigned, her husband said it was “God’s plan” for the brain surgery to be performed at the central government hospital.
Source: Google Maps
Finally, after waiting for the doctor to return from holiday, Vicki’s surgery was set for 7 Jan.
Source: Lee Vi Hua on Facebook
After an anxious wait, Mr Lee learnt that the operation was successful.
His wife was discharged two days later after spending a total of 26 days in hospital.
More blessings were to come, though.
When Mr Lee went to settle the hospital bill, he was happy to realise that he had to pay just RM258 (S$74).
That was the cost for 26 days in hospital, as well as life-saving brain surgery by the “best team of doctors”, he said.
Marvelling that it should be 1,000 times as much, the ecstatic husband declared,
Malaysia’s public healthcare system is the kindest to its citizens in the world!
He compared it with Gleneagles, the private hospital, which charged them RM2,500 (S$717) for a three-hour stay.
Even the CT Scan his wife did to diagnose her condition cost RM1,500 (S$430), he remarked.
We’re glad that all went well and Vicki recovered from a critical illness without leaving a dent in her family’s savings.
Also read: M’sian Woman Suffers Brain Aneurysm On 1st Day Of S’pore Job, Needs S$100K For Hospital Bills
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Featured image adapted from Lee Vi Hua on Facebook.
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