BINTULU: A new Village Health Representative Post officially opened at Rumah Rami Apit in Balingian is set to significantly boost access to basic healthcare for residents of seven nearby longhouses in Pengkalan Lobang.
The facility, the first of its kind in Mukah, was introduced under the Sarawak government’s rural wellbeing agenda to ensure early illness detection and better healthcare outreach without the need for long travel to urban centres.
Minister in the Sarawak Premier’s Department, Datuk Seri John Sikie Tayai said the initiative underscores the government’s commitment to empowering rural communities through closer, more efficient health services.
“The Sarawak government is committed to bringing essential healthcare services closer to the people, so that healthcare is no longer a challenge for rural communities,” he said during the Pemimpin Bersama Rakyat (Leaders with the People) event at Rumah Rami Apit on Sunday (April 13).
The health post will provide basic medical checks such as blood pressure and pulse monitoring at the village level, forming part of a wider push for early detection and community-based health education.
Also present at the ceremony were Selangau MP Edwin Banta and Mukah Divisional Health Office officer Dr Normy Kunyo.
Dr Normy noted that the Village Health Representative programme, first introduced in 1983 and revived in 2022, now includes an intensive 10-day training module to equip participants with systematic knowledge in community healthcare.
“This is the first Village Health Representative Post in Mukah, and we hope it becomes a model for other villages to follow in strengthening grassroots health networks,” she said.
Alongside the health post, a road embankment has also been completed around Rumah Rami to improve safety for villagers, especially during the rainy season.
The twin projects reflect a broader initiative by the state to uplift rural living standards through practical, on-the-ground support in health and infrastructure.
