Sibu museum keeps memory of pioneering hospital alive

The Lau King Howe Hospital Memorial Museum in Sibu stands as a tribute to the region's first modern medical facility, which operated from 1936 to 1994. Born in China in 1869, Lau King Howe moved to Sibu in 1916 and built his fortune from a rubber plantation. Concerned about the lack of medical services in the town, he proposed, in 1930, the construction of a new hospital with a shared funding model between himself and the Rajah Brooke government.

Though he passed away before the hospital's completion, it was named in his honor. The museum preserves various aspects of the hospital's operations, including maternity care, pharmacy, and emergency treatment. Exhibits showcase items like vintage equipment, changing nurse uniforms, and even a Sarawak brass belt buckle once worn by a nurse.

The pharmacy display features stories about the popular "KK" tablet (paracetamol) and the creative ways medicines were dispensed in the past, such as using ketchup bottles. The exhibition aims to provide a glimpse into the healthcare landscape of Sarawak, demonstrating how medical care has evolved while preserving the memory of an institution that served the community for nearly six decades.