Kindness and compassion on call
MELAKA: For many Malaysians living with chronic kidney disease, the cost of dialysis is a heavy burden, one that drains not only their finances but their hope.
Amid a rising tide in end-stage kidney failure cases in the country, Dr M. Ganeshwaran stands out as a quiet force of change, providing free dialysis to some 60 underprivileged patients every single day.
A former public health medical officer, the 44-year-old has dedicated himself to ensuring that access to life-sustaining dialysis does not depend on one's income.
Through several dialysis centres he established in Petaling Jaya, Kuala Kubu Baru and Puchong in Selangor, Dr Ganeshwaran and his team provide daily treatment to patients who would otherwise struggle to cope with the high cost of treatment.
'They are not just patients but people trying to stay alive while managing their children's school fees, house rent and daily necessities.
'Many patients from poor backgrounds come to me for help to get free dialysis treatment and I decided to offer them at all three centres,' he said in an interview.
Dr Ganeshwaran said each centre also offers emotional and psychological support, acknowledging the toll chronic illness takes on an individual.
'Many arrive in despair but over time, they find not just care but comfort and strength to go on,' said the chief operating officer of of a private medical centre in Selangor.
Dr Ganeshwaran noted that the significance of the effort becomes clearer when placed against the backdrop of Malaysia's increasing kidney-related illnesses.
'As of 2023, approximately 15.5% of Malaysians are living with some stage of chronic kidney disease, with most of them unaware of their condition.
'Each year, over 10,000 new patients begin dialysis, and by the end of 2023, the total number of Malaysians undergoing regular dialysis stood at 46,659,' he said.
Dr Ganeshwaran said Melaka recorded the highest dialysis acceptance rate in the country in 2023 with 384 patients per million population.
This urgent need has led Dr Ganeshwaran to expand his mission to the state where plans are underway to open a fourth dialysis centre.
He also aims to launch a new NGO known as 'We Care', which will focus on early detection, community education and intervention in non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity, the leading causes of kidney failure.
Dr Ganeshwaran also emphasised the importance of prevention methods before a disease progresses to critical stages.
'Free dialysis is necessary but the bigger goal is to prevent people from ever needing it,' he said.
Dr Ganeshwaran's roots in Melaka run deeper than the new project.
In 2022, he opened the Hang Tuah Clinic in Ayer Keroh, named after the legendary Malay warrior, fulfilling a promise he made a year earlier to Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali.
He said the former chief minister had highlighted the need for affordable healthcare services in the state and within a year, the clinic started its operations.
'Today, the clinic continues to provide accessible medical care to those caught between the long queues of public healthcare and the rising cost of private treatment,' he said, adding that his aim was to continue offering a model of medical care rooted in 'compassion, community and sustainability'.
Dr Ganeshwaran has devoted over a decade to humanitarian work with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, helping relocate more than 60 cases to the United States and Canada.
His missions have taken him across Australia, Lebanon, Sweden, Jordan, India, Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore.
He has also provided aid to flood victims in Pakistan, Syrian refugees in Jordan, typhoon victims in Tacloban, Philippines, and 2005 earthquake survivors in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Meanwhile, the Star Golden Hearts Award (SGHA) returns for the 11th edition to honour everyday Malaysians whose compassion and selflessness have made a lasting impact on others.
With McDonald's Malaysia as the new strategic partner, SGHA is poised to broaden its reach and deepen its impact nationwide.
This year also marks the debut of the McDonald's Caring Hearts Award – a special recognition honouring individuals or grassroots groups whose heartfelt acts of kindness have uplifted lives in profound and lasting ways.
Since its inception in 2015, SGHA has honoured over 100 individuals and organisations whose efforts have inspired action, transformed lives and strengthened communities nationwide.
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