By Nur Ashikin Louis
KUCHING, Dec 11: Newly appointed Deputy Minister of Health Lukanisman Awang Sauni wants to be entrusted to look into issues related to healthcare access and poor services in Sabah and Sarawak.
He said one of the most frequently raised issues in the Parliament is manpower appointment while for Sabah and Sarawak, they are issues related to access and poor services.
“I truly hope that the YB Minister (Dr Zaliha Mustafa) shall entrust me to look into this sector. This will also cover medical and health services among minorities in rural areas, for example the Orang Asli and Penan.
“I am very sure that people from big constituencies have high hopes in the health sector, such as having new clinics in their areas. I will act rationally and strategically to ensure that clinic locations are accessible and appropriate for the number of residents in that area,” he said in a statement today.
Lukanisman who is the Sibuti MP acknowledged that his first cabinet post will be a big challenge for him especially when he has no academic background in the medical field.
However, he had experiences in preceding sessions as well as being involved in the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and Parliamentary Select Committee on Health, Science and Innovation which exposed him to many of the current issues facing the Ministry of Health (MOH).
Lukanisman said he will firstly report to MOH and work together with the minister to deliberate on the direction and task allocations which have been agreed on.
He would also hold engagement sessions with management in various sectors, all general health practitioners, policy makers, doctors, and health officers and most importantly, seek to understand the needs of all officers and personnel at every level.
“Consequently, after that, the focus will be on issues related to medical infrastructure in rural areas, poor clinics and (staff) quarters. We need efficient and very reputable health facilities for the people and the officers on duty.
“I would also like to check on the locations of current clinics and potential new clinics so that the incident involving a baby who passed away on the way to a far clinic/hospital will not be a norm anymore,” he added.
Among others, he said, include the effort to look into the Anti-Tobacco Act (generational-end game or GEG) and bring it back to Parliament and to look into mental health issues.
He also pledged to look into Sarawak’s request for the health autonomy in terms of infrastructure development but stressed that the matter with regards to emoluments would still be under the federal budget. — DayakDaily
