KUCHING: Sarawak is able to overcome the shortcomings in the healthcare systems in the state if it were given health autonomy.
Deputy Premier Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian said with autonomy, the state would be able to plan out healthcare services that are more suited to its needs.
“(We can do so) without being constrained by the national norms, given that we have a low population density that is scattered over vast areas,” he was quoted by The Edge Malaysia in an interview which was published in their magazine titled ‘Sarawak: A New Economic Powerhouse’.
Dr Sim, who is also the Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government said matters concerning public health and medicine currently fall under the Concurrent List, Ninth Schedule of the Federal Constitution, which means it is the state government’s responsibility to plan for improvement of the services.
“This has led to Sarawak having to follow the national norms in terms of facilities and staffing.
“For instance, certain facilities and services such as a cancer hospital for Sarawak and public health laboratories have been low on the priority list of the federal government,” he said.
On a related note, he admitted that health autonomy will not completely eradicate the disparity and inequitable distribution of medical officers and specialists.
“However, health autonomy will enable the state to address the disparity through various strategies, such as giving better incentives to medical and health staff who are willing to serve in unpopular areas of Sarawak.
“This is not possible if there is no health autonomy,” he said.
Meanwhile, according to the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) 2021 statistics, the total number of doctors in Sarawak is 4,262, with 3,656 and 606 in the government and private sectors, respectively.
As for nurses, there are a total of 8,243, with 6,606 in the government sector and 1,637 in the private sector in Sarawak.
