By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Oct 13: The Sarawak government is seeking health autonomy to enable the State to appoint its own doctors, nurses, and healthcare personnel independently of the federal government.
In a TVS report, Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Professor Dr Sim Kui Hian said the move is crucial to address the shortage of more than 11,000 healthcare personnel across the State.
He said that a high-level meeting under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) Technical Committee, to be chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Amar Fadillah Yusof, will discuss the implementation of health autonomy and issues related to staffing in State hospitals.
“Usually, when we raise this issue with the Ministry of Health (MOH), they will say it falls under the jurisdiction of the Public Service Department (JPA). But when referred to JPA, they will say it comes under the Ministry of Finance (MOF).
“Therefore, Fadillah, as chairman of the MA63 Technical Committee, has agreed to convene a ministerial-level meeting to discuss this matter under the MA63, involving the finance minister, economy minister, attorney-general, and health minister, so that all parties can sit together to resolve it.
“Otherwise, every time this issue is raised, it just goes in circles as ministries keep referring to one another,” he said to the media after officiating at the handover ceremony of cardiac equipment to Bintulu Hospital’s Cardiac Unit today.
Dr Sim stressed that the shortage of healthcare personnel in Sarawak is critical, with some hospitals requiring 150 medical officers but having only 80 on duty, forcing doctors and nurses to work beyond capacity.
He added that the State government is ready to help address the shortfall if the authority to recruit is granted to the Sarawak Health Department. — DayakDaily
