MIRI: Public-private partnerships are crucial to strengthening and enhancing the state’s healthcare services, said Deputy Premier Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian.
“Healthcare is a very complex subject, it requires highly trained doctors and nurses and at the same time requires investment and all these are never cheap,” he said.
“And with new technology constantly coming out, in terms of investment you have to calculate very well,” he added.
Speaking at the launching of O-Arm Surgical Imagine System at the Borneo Medical Centre (BMC) here on Saturday, he applauded the BMC for constantly providing all these services in terms of doctors, nurses and also equipment to support Miri Hospital.
The O-Arm Surgical Imagine System is the second machine purchased by BMC here after Kuching.
“In the case of Miri we have worked out with the Sarawak Health Department that this division needs to have a satellite heart centre,” said Dr Sim.
“While all these are being planned, BMC has moved ahead to have these facilities and its in-house cardiologist here,” he said, pointing out that the service is particularly beneficial to those who need treatment but cannot go to Kuching.
He said while the state government has been trying its best to provide health care services for the people regardless of location the reality is such that it cannot open heart or cancer centres in every town.
“It is not not just about money, there is a need for manpower such as nurses and doctors,” he pointed out.
Towards this end Dr Sim said that BMC Miri treated 30 heart patients from Miri Hospital last year.
“Looking ahead (in the event) a satellite heart centre is established in Miri Hospital we will still need BMC Miri to help in terms of manpower and support and so on, this is a two-way direction,” he added.
Meanwhile, Dr Sim is looking forward to the Health White Paper which is to be tabled in parliament mid-June.
“Even though we have the Pan Borneo highway that connects people to healthcare facilities, Sarawak is still not as well to do as West Malaysia.
“That is why we have an advisory group to coordinate private-public hospitals and formulate the best for Sarawak’s health autonomy before we go to the Malaysia Agreement (MA 63) committee and discuss,” he said.
“This is the first time in 60 years that we have the opportunity to discuss Sarawak’s health autonomy under MA63.
