BY NURA VALENTIANA LORNA and EDWINNIE EINSTEIN UNJI
KOTA SAMARAHAN: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) has embarked on another initiative to ensure its staff members are in optimal health.
Beginning this year, counselling services have been made available for staff at its panel clinics.
Its Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Ahmad Hata Rasit, said the university’s management understands the importance of mental health and emotional well-being to promote a healthy environment at Unimas.
As such, he expressed optimism that with the counselling services, staff experiencing mental health issues can receive prompt treatment.
“According to the Malaysian Mental Health Policy, mental health refers to the ability of individuals, groups, and environments to interact with each other to generate a sense of well-being and optimal functioning and the use of cognitive, intellectual, and emotional abilities and relationships in achieving consistent individual and group goals with justice.
“Good relationships between an organisation and individuals are important in order to make sure that the effectiveness of long-term productivity in the organisation is always maintained.
“These good relations should be continued to cultivate civil servants who have high work spirits, are committed to delivering the best, and improve productivity in the workplace,” he said.
He said this during a meeting between the Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (CUEPACS) and Unimas staff here today (March 13)).
On the same note, he said that health screenings should be conducted annually as they contribute to improved health.
He added that interventions are needed at an early stage before illnesses become more serious.
“Good health is the most important asset for employees to increase their productivity and complete any tasks on a daily basis,” he said.
To make sure that employees are in good shape, he said Unimas also established the ‘Kemudahan Pemeriksaan Kesihatan Menyeluruh Tabung Unimas Care’ incentive in 2023.
This incentive, he added, encourages staff aged 40 and above to undergo health screenings and maintain a healthy lifestyle while serving at the university.
In 2022, he said that the ‘Skim Prihatin Unimas’was established, where children of Unimas staff members or retirees who successfully applied and continued their undergraduate studies at Unimas were exempted from tuition fees.
According to Ahmad Hata, this scheme reduced the financial burden of staff with children studying at Unimas, in addition to acknowledging staff who have contributed significantly to the university.
Other than that, he Unimas has also established medical and dental financing facilities that enable staff to receive treatment at 19 medical clinics and seven dental clinics.
“The university always cares about the welfare and well-being of its people,” he added.
“From time to time, various initiatives have been and will be introduced to strengthen facilities and welfare for Unimas staff,” he assured.
Also present during the meeting were Cuepacs President Datuk Dr Adnan Mat, Secretary-General Abdul Rahman Mohammad Nordin, Financial Secretary Anuar Mamat, and its Welfare and Information Officer James D Ravi.
