MELAKA: The Social Security Organisation (Socso) has been called upon to establish three more rehabilitation centres within the next five years, said Human Resources Minister Steven Sim.
He said this was because there was only one rehabilitation centre operating at the moment which is the Tun Abdul Razak Perkeso Rehabilitation Centre in Ayer Keroh here, while in Ipoh, another will begin operations this year and a third in Terengganu was still under construction.
"I also want to see three new rehabilitation centres including in Sabah and Sarawak within five years. We want to see Socso expand this service (nationwide).
"Socso not only provides protection in the form of compensation but comprehensive protection including rehabilitation," he told reporters after visiting the Tun Abdul Razak Perkeso Rehabilitation Centre in Ayer Keroh here today.
Also present were Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh, state Health, Human Resources and Unity Committee chairman Ngwee Hee Sem and Socso group chief executive officer Datuk Seri Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed.
Sim said, since the Tun Abdul Razak Perkeso Rehabilitation Centre opened in 2014, it has provided services to more than 15,000 Socso contributors and non-contributors to undergo rehabilitation after being involved in an accidents or contracting illnesses while on duty.
He said, of that number, about 70 per cent managed to return to work after undergoing intensive rehabilitation treatment at the centre.
Sim said the rehabilitation centre also accepts foreign patients for treatment due to the attractive facilities it offers. --BERNAMA