SAMBHI CLINIC TO BECOME KOOP MEDICAL CENTRE

By Zaidatul Syreen Bernama - Sunday, May 10

KUALA LUMPUR, May 10 (Bernama) -- After being in the medical field mastering in obstetrics and gynaecology for the past 37 years, the family-run Sambhi Clinic, at Jalan Medan Tuanku here, will soon cease to exist as the family's next generation has been reluctant to take over.
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In place, a new name will be given to the clinic following the sale of the clinic in a RM8.2 million deal on Wednesday.

The medical centre's owner Datuk Dr J S Sambhi took to disposing off the clinic to other parties after his three children, all abroad currently, were not keen to continue his labour of passion at the clinic, where over 20,000 babies had been delivered over the years.

Koperasi Putri Terbilang Malaysia Bhd (KOPUTRI) turned to be the 'white knight' acquiring the clinic which will be renamed KOOP Medical Centre.

The sale and purchase agreement was signed on Wednesday by the Chief of KOPUTRI, Datuk Noraini Ahmad, and Dr Sambhi.

Noraini said the clinic has been acquired to enable its members to get medical services at a minimum rate.

"In line with the establishment of KOOP, the cooperative will be launching a medical benefit scheme for the convenience of its members," she said.

With the scheme, the cooperative will also launch the KOOP Medical Card to provide members the convenience when registering at the counters to use the services of the medical centre.

Todate, KOPUTRI has 12,000 members registered with it.

The cooperative, registered on March 9, 2006 under the Cooperative Act 1993 subsection, carries out educational activities, savings programmes, loans for government staff, Insurance, and also runs kindergardens, and rest houses.

KOPUTRI has operations nationwide while its headquarters are in Kuala Lumpur and it also has branch offices in Sabah and Sarawak.

When asked about his feelings on letting the clinic go, Dr Sambhi said he was "depressed" and sad because he had delivered over 20,000 babies in the clinic for the past 37 years.

"I had ladies coming from Slim River, Melaka, Kuantan and even Indonesia to give birth here. Those days there were very few hospitals around. There were us (Sambhi Clinic), Assunta and two or three more," he told Bernama in an interview at the clinic.

Dr Sambhi said the clinic was of great sentimental value to him and that it was more like a family place than a clinic.

"Those who came in here as workers or patients were more like my family. They still come by to see me on and off, especially now that they know I will be letting this clinic go off soon," Dr Sambhi added

"But when it's time to go, I have to go!" he said with teary eyes.

-- BERNAMA

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