KEPALA BATAS, May 4 — The Social Security Organisation (Socso) will open its dialysis centre in Penang by the end of this year.

Human Resources Minister, Steven Sim Chee Keong, said that the dialysis centre, costing RM2.6 million, will provide medical services to its contributors suffering from kidney disease.

"By the end of this year, Socso will open a dialysis centre, managed by the agency itself. The centre can accommodate 144 patients per day.

"Everything (treatment) is free for Socso contributors, and this is the service that we provided and we will continue to strive to give the best to contributors. Currently, there are 63 dialysis centre panels in Penang,” he said, while speaking at the Ministry of Human Resources (Kesuma) Madani Aidilfitri gathering at Vision Park, today.

Also present at the event was Socso Board chairman, Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal, and a total of 100 orphans and 40 single mothers were feted at the gathering, and presented with hampers.

Meanwhile, Sim, who is also a Member of Parliament for Bukit Mertajam, said that Socso also distributed payments to 15 recipients, with a total value of RM301,699.64, along with rehabilitation equipment.

He said the payment covers four recipients of the Employment Insurance System (SIP) benefit; five recipients of permanent disability benefit; three recipients of the funeral management benefit and one each of the temporary disablement benefit; survivor’s pension benefit and illness allowance. — Bernama