Renowned liver surgeon, Dr Tan Kai Chah, has passed away in his hotel room in Hainan on 5 Dec. He was on the island in southern China for a business trip.
There, he ran the first Singapore-operated medical centre on the island.
His death was sudden and a shock to people around him. According to Asian American Medical Group’s chief financial controller, Ms Angela Choong, he still sent his usual “good morning” greetings to her and other colleagues that day.
It was believed that he died of a heart attack sometime between 8.30am to 9.30am. He left behind his wife and daughter.
Dr Tan Kai Chah
Dr Tan was a Malaysian who had around 43 years of experience, specialising in general surgery, specifically hepatobiliary surgery. His clinical interest was in liver transplantation.
He was practising in his private practice, the Asian Centre for Liver Diseases & Transplantation (ACLDT), in Gleneagles Hospital, Singapore. He also has a private practice in Subang Jaya Medical Centre (SJMC) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as well.
Throughout his time as a doctor, he has performed many ground-breaking surgeries including the first “split-liver” transplant and the first auxiliary liver graft.
He broke out to fame when he operated on a former actress, Andrea De Cruz.
Andrea De Cruz
In 2002, Andrea De Cruz was a victim of a dubious slimming pills scandal, Slim 10. Her life was on the line as the slimming pills caused her to suffer from liver failure.
Pierre Png, her then-boyfriend, now husband, donated part of his liver to save her. That was the first time where the Ministry of Health allowed non-related living donors to donate.
The liver transplant went well, and De Cruz went through a court case against the importer and distributor of Slim 10 diet pills after that.
19 years after the surgery, De Cruz health check-up came back “very well” even though the couple was told that the body might reject the liver after 20 years.
Both De Cruz and Png have also shared their well wishes on Instagram.
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Johor Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar’s Late Son
Dr Tan also treated Johor Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar’s late son, Almarhum Tunku Abdul Jalil, Tunku Laksamana of Johor. Johor Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar also posted on his Facebook page his condolendences for Dr Tan.
He also said it was such a “strange coincidence” that Dr Tan passed away on the same day Jalil succumbed to stage four liver cancer in 2015.
The board of directors of the Asian American Medical Group will have a meeting soon to discuss who will succeed Dr Tan.
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Featured Image: Facebook (Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar)
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