SIBU: Sarawak needs more nurses especially in acute care, specialised care and for placement in rural clinics said Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian.
The Deputy Premier noted that the nurse service ratio in Sarawak is at a rate of 3.16 per 1,000 residents based on the population of Sarawak in 2020, which is 2,907,500 people.
He stressed that the current rate is below par compared with most developed countries which have eight nurses per 1,000 population.
“Currently, 93.86 per cent or 6,146 nursing positions under the Sarawak State Health Department have been filled, out of the 6,548 positions offered. As for Community Nurses (JM) only 1,874 posts have been filled out of 2,875 vacancies,” he said.
The Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government said this in his speech, read by Bukit Assek assemblyman Joseph Chieng at the opening ceremony of Sarawak nursing conference 2023 here yesterday.
Dr Sim further said that there are two main issues related to nurses in Sarawak, which is the lack of promotion positions for senior nurses whereby when a nurse is promoted, they have to be separated from their families and move to the peninsula.
In this regard, he hoped the Ministry of Health Malaysia (KKM) could consider more senior positions in Sarawak so that these nurses could stay in their hometowns and serve in Sarawak.
“Another issue is the lack of nurses in rural areas. The recruitment and training of JM nurses have been halted since 2015, but the upgrading of JM posts to staff nurse posts has been delayed.
“Even JM who underwent training to become a staff nurse more than two years ago has not been appointed to the position of staff nurse,” he said.
Therefore, he urged the Ministry of Health to look into this matter to get more JM nurses who currently comprised only 65.18 per cent.
End with pics.
SBW-sim nurse-1003-avk-1: Sarawak Nursing Professional Association (SNPA) president Lee Na (left) presents a souvenir to Chieng (right)
SBW-sim nurse-1003-avk-2: Chieng (second right) officiating at the ceremony representing Dr Sim.
