By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, May 18: The current doctor-population ratio in Selangau is 1:5000, with only four doctors for the 20,000 residents in the booming town.
In pointing this out, Tamin assemblyman Christopher Gira requested the Federal government to increase the number of doctors by transferring more doctors to Selangau.
“I also request for the government to speed up the construction of the haemodialysis centre in Selangau,” said Gira when debating on TYT’s speech at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) held at New DUN Complex today.
Former Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba, on August 2020, disclosed that Malaysia’s doctor-population ratio was 1:454, better than one doctor for every 500 people, which is the recommendation by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Gira then highlighted the need for a new access road to link the town to Pan Borneo Highway.
He said there is no strategic access to Selangau town junction after the completion of Pan Borneo road. This encourages motorists to make illegal turns to shortcut the distance.
He thus proposed building a new access road to Selangau town to solve the issue.
Another issue he brought up in DUN was the huge delay in the water supply upgrading project, which was approved by the Federal government with the cost of RM117 million to benefit residents of the Stapang/Sekuan area.
The project involves the upgrading of existing water treatment in Stapang and the laying of pipes to areas such as Sekuau, Oya Pakoh, Jalan Ng Tajam, Batang Oya, Batu 36 Tamin up to Jalan Kua Ulu Mukah.
Given the dire needs of the people, Gira called on the Sarawak government to intervene and take over the project.
“Bear in mind this year we are celebrating (Sarawak’s) 60th Year of Independence; we cannot afford to wait longer for our community to serve with treated water supply,” said Gira. — DayakDaily
