What are the daily challenges faced by outstation cancer patients travelling to Penang Hospital?

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Outstation cancer patients face early-morning travel, long hospital waits, and added out-of-pocket transport costs when going to Penang Hospital for chemotherapy.

Many outstation patients have to leave home before sunrise to reach the oncology clinic at Penang Hospital, which opens at 8am on Mondays to Fridays. Noraziliana Ahmad, 45, from Sungai Petani in Kedah, and her husband depart at around 3am and arrive slightly after 4am, so she can wait at the hospital surau until her 9am appointment. For Mohd Fawwaz Faizal, 31, from Baling, Kedah, the travel is about 1.5 hours each way, and he has been making the trip since December last year.
Leaving home before sunrise to meet an 8am clinic opening
The oncology clinic operates from 8am on weekdays, but many patients from outside Penang arrive before sun-up because they must leave home early in the morning. This means waiting for scheduled appointments even after arriving hours ahead of clinic hours. In Noraziliana’s case, she arrives slightly after 4am and stays at the hospital until her appointment around 9am.
Long travel time and frequent trips for chemotherapy schedules
Outstation patients often travel significant distances repeatedly, tied to chemotherapy cycles. Noraziliana travels to Penang Hospital once every three weeks, while Mohd Fawwaz has to be admitted for five days for each chemotherapy cycle and sometimes needs two trips a month. Their travel patterns reflect that treatment schedules can require more than one round trip in a given month.
Additional daily expenses for petrol, parking, and tolls
Beyond treatment time, patients also pay for getting to the island hospital, including petrol, parking, and tolls. The first Penang Bridge toll is RM5.74 and the second is RM8.50 for the mainland-to-island trip, while the return trip is toll-free. These recurring costs add to the daily burden for patients who must travel multiple times, including during multi-day admissions.
Being far from home while the hospital handles high volumes
Penang Hospital serves as the northern region’s oncology referral centre since 2005, covering areas from Langkawi in Kedah to Sri Manjung in Perak, which contributes to a steady out-of-state patient flow. Around 65% of patients receiving treatment there are from out of state, and the hospital records on average about 250 new cancer cases and 1,500 follow-up appointments each month, alongside approximately 560 chemotherapy treatments monthly. With such volumes and a clinic schedule that starts at 8am, outstation patients routinely face early arrivals and extended time spent at the hospital before treatment begins.

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What are the daily challenges faced by outstation cancer patients travelling to Penang Hospital?

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