KUCHING: Sarawak is facing a severe shortage of hospital beds and medical personnel, with a deficit of 45 percent in hospital beds and 54 percent in doctors compared to Malaysia’s national standard.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian said the state is bracing for major challenges in the healthcare sector due to inadequate infrastructure and manpower.
“We are not asking for more than other states, but at the very least, we want to be on par with Peninsular Malaysia,” he said when met at the sidelines here today (Mar 17).
As an immediate step, he then stated, the Sarawak government is intensifying efforts to bring back more than 800 Sarawakian medical personnel currently serving outside the state to fill over 1,000 vacancies in local hospitals and clinics.
“I recently conveyed to the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) discussions regarding 800 nurses and paramedics, as well as various other aspects such as facilities, workforce, funding allocations, and standards under the MA63 discussions.
“We also discussed the statutory and regulatory roles played by health authorities, which is why various advancements are now being actively pursued,” he said.
Additionally, Dr Sim said the Sarawak government has called for greater autonomy in healthcare under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
“Among the measures being considered is the establishment of the Sarawak Medical Council, which would allow Sarawak to register its own doctors and manage its medical workforce more effectively.
“If the federal government grants Sarawak autonomy in managing healthcare funding and manpower, we are confident that we can implement a more efficient healthcare management system,” he added.
