KUCHING: The Sarawak Health Summit recently convened at the Waterfront Hotel here, focusing on addressing healthcare challenges within the state.
Organised by the Sarawak SDG-CSO Alliance Health Cluster in collaboration with the Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy, this event brought together 80 participants representing 40 organisations, including civil society groups, volunteers, and academicians.
The summit’s primary goal was to explore strategies for achieving universal health coverage through planned reforms in the nation’s healthcare services.
“This ambitious aim seeks to ensure that every resident of Sarawak has access to accessible, high-quality healthcare, irrespective of their location or socioeconomic status.
“To ensure no one is left behind, the summit identified critical healthcare challenges that need to be addressed in the pursuit of good health for all in Sarawak,” according to a press release on Tuesday (Sept 19).
Among the challenges discussed were the shortage of healthcare professionals, inadequate healthcare facilities, and a lack of diagnostic support equipment, especially in rural clinics and smaller district hospitals.
Financial barriers, particularly affecting the B40 group, hinder timely access to healthcare services, along with transportation issues faced by rural communities when trying to reach healthcare facilities.
The summit also delved into concerns related to the aging population, including the high prevalence and impact of non-communicable diseases and the need for more specialised elderly care.
Prof Andrew Kiyu in a discussion with participants during the summit.
During the discussions, professor of Public Health at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Prof Datuk Dr Andrew Kiyu emphasised the importance of prioritising outreach to those who are unreached or underserved by healthcare services, including individuals excluded from official statistics due to factors such as a lack of documentation or social stigma.
Additionally, Society for Cancer Advocacy and Awareness Kuching (SCAN) president Chris Cheng highlighted the potential of the Health White Paper and subsequent healthcare reforms to create a healthcare system tailored to the unique needs of Sarawak.
Special advisor to the Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa and Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii was also present at the summit.
