Access to essential surgical care in district hospitals of Sarawak Malaysia: outcomes of an audit and the need for urgent attention.

Background: Since access to essential surgical care (ESC) in rural Sarawak, Malaysia, remains subpar, this study aimed to identify pitfalls in its ESC delivery and possible solutions to improve it.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was undertaken in the Sarawak General Hospital between January 2019 and December 2019. It assessed the caseload of five essential surgical procedures referred from nearby district hospitals.

Mapping timely access to emergency and essential surgical services: The Malaysian experience.

Background: Surgical conditions form a significant proportion of the global burden of disease. Since the 2015 World Health Assembly resolution A68.15, there is recognition that the provision of essential surgical care is an integral part of universal access to health care.

Feasibility of Patient Navigation to Improve Breast Cancer Care in Malaysia.

Purpose: Late stage at presentation and poor adherence to treatment remain major contributors to poor survival in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Patient navigation (PN) programs in the United States have led to improvement in diagnostic or treatment timeliness, particularly for women in lower socioeconomic classes or minority groups. To date, studies of PN in Asia have been limited.