KUCHING: More effort is needed to inspire and attract the younger generation to pursue careers in public healthcare as well as to look into the future trends and challenges in the industry.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian said Sarawak is expected to be an ageing society by 2028, therefore, it is necessary to ensure the health and social systems are ready to make the most of this demographic shift.
Sarawak, he said, will need more manpower in the healthcare industry, not just doctors and nurses but also pharmacists, therapists as well as healthcare engineers, among others.
“If we don’t train and educate more healthcare professionals, who is going to take care of us in the future?
“Thus, I welcome more school students to visit the hospital (when there is any open day or related event) to learn a thing or two, especially on the technology and devices and how it feels to work at a hospital,” he said.
He was speaking at the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) Open Day programme here Saturday, which aimed at raising awareness among the younger generation about good health and community well-being, as well as promoting an interest in the medical field among young people.
Dr Sim, who is also Public Health, Housing and Local Government Minister, said it is high time for the healthcare industry to attract more young people and creative minds – to start thinking about solutions for various future challenges that may arise in the industry.
For instance, he said, hospitals were among the top polluters on earth, which contributed to climate change.
“So, we need to start thinking about what to do to address this, including SGH, as climate change is already here – the extreme weather is impacting our lives and environment,” he said.
He said another challenge would be the rising cost of healthcare services, including the related facilities for the growing ageing population, where more funds will be needed to inject into the healthcare sector.
Lastly, he said, would be the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution, which is transforming every aspect of people’s lives, from healthcare to education.
“Although it (AI) offers significant benefits in the healthcare industry, such as improved diagnostic speed and accuracy as well as in reading medical images, X-rays and scans, diagnosing medical problems, it is necessary for us to plan ahead – and look into possible challenges.
“If we become over-dependent on AI and technology, we will be vulnerable to tech failures so what are we going to do to avoid this from happening?
“Thus, I hope all the young people, even as young as school children, can start thinking about some ideas on how to address all these future challenges,” he added.
The event attracted over 600 school students as well as teachers, association representatives, non-governmental organisations, the public, and government agencies.
A career dialogue session related to medical professions and healthcare services was held while 45 counters were set up and open to the public, allowing the community to familiarise themselves with various healthcare services provided at SGH.
