Penang gears up for ageing society status with new medical equipment

PENANG has once again taken the lead in applying new technologies and concepts - installing the first cutting-edge physiotherapy medical equipment known as "PiezoWave2T" at federal government healthcare facilities here.

It is a fourth-generation German-engineered device and represents the latest advancement in piezo shockwave therapy, aimed at alleviating joint and knee pains, especially among senior citizens.

Since Penang is transitioning into an ageing society by this year, the equipment to treat joint pains and arthritis is crucially needed for the elderly. 

The Department of Statistics Malaysia projected that by this year, 7.7% of Penang's population, or 143,805 residents, will be aged 65 and above, positioning Penang as the second state with the largest elderly population in Malaysia.

The percentage of the population aged 66 and above is around 7.7% whereby seven per cent is the benchmark for an ageing state.

Former Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng with Senator Dr R.A. Lingeshwaran, a medical doctor and Bukit Bendera MP Syerleena Abd Rashid with Avro Medical Sdn Bhd chief operations officer Nor Hafidah Mustapha, and regional business manager Shirley Ooi, were present at a press conference to announce the initiative.

"This initiative is to support the elderly people, who often struggle with costly physiotherapy sessions at private healthcare facilities. 

“As we all know, many senior citizens suffer from joint and knee pains and cannot afford to sustain the exorbitant charges imposed on them, especially at the private healthcare centres," Lim said.

“Some of them need to fork out a few hundred ringgit per session. To make things worse, one needs to undergo a few sessions of treatment before recuperating. Hence, some of those from the B40 and M40 groups find it challenging,” he said.

Lim highlighted that the equipment currently used at government healthcare institutions is not up to par compared with the evolution of healthcare technology nowadays.

“I have sought treatment a few times at government healthcare facilities, and I realised the need to have a new generation of equipment to better serve our senior citizens.

“Hence, I have liaised with Avro Medical Sdn Bhd to obtain at least four machines to be placed at the government healthcare facilities. 

“One of them will be stationed at the Air Putih government clinics which is within the Bukit Bendera parliamentary constituency,”

Lim noted that the price for each piece of equipment is estimated at RM150,000, and he, alongside others, would raise funds for the initiative.

“I believe Avro Medical Sdn Bhd is also keen to perform corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives by providing us a reasonable price for the equipment,” he said.

Each session at the Penang Hospital would only cost RM5 for the senior citizens.  - January 18, 2025.