KUCHING: Sarawak has become the first state to contribute input on the Health White Paper (HWP).
Pointing out that he chose Sarawak as the first state to visit, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said it is to ensure that accessibility to healthcare facilities is increased.
“It is not just Sarawak, but also Sabah. It is all your rural interior areas and that is the challenge. If we can get it right for the rural interior areas, then this White Paper has succeeded in ensuring that accessibility and equity are something that we have taken care of.
“I give you the assurance this is not a PR session. This is a session for us to shape the direction of the White Paper in the right direction and in the right way to resonate with what is being raised on the ground,” he said.
He said this during the HWP development town hall session at Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) auditorium yesterday.
Khairy also agreed to discuss Sarawak’s request for better representation in the HWP advisory council with its co-chairmen – former health minister Tan Sri Dr S Subramaniam and Axiata Group chairman Tan Sri Shahril Ridza Ridzuan.
“I have asked the HWP advisory council to create working groups where these groups will engage in depth with different stakeholders so there was never an intention to appoint different professions onto the council or else, there will be too much.
“But I do understand that there are concerns for instance, geographical representation from Sarawak and Sabah as well major professional representation from pharmacists, which we will definitely take that on board and we will discuss that with the co-chairmen of the advisory council,” he added.
