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BINTULU, June 11: Sarawak Health Department (JKN) has apologised for shortcomings in providing healthcare services due to a shortage of medical supplies especially anaesthetics for dental procedures.
Its director Dr Ooi Choo Huck said the shortage was experienced by the whole nation since last year.
“Thus, the immediate action taken by JKN Sarawak for each dental clinic that faces the problem is to take the initiative to obtain supplies from other clinics or divisions, or inform the patients involved including taking their information to be contacted again to receive treatment as soon as the medicine supply arrives,” he said in a statement today.
He was responding to media reports dated June 9 where Kota Sentosa Health Clinic had experienced a shortage of anaesthetics for dental procedures and phone service disruption due to the theft of telephone cables.
Dr Ooi further said the Ministry of Health (MOH) through Dental Health Programme is making efforts to ensure that the renewal of the centralised supplier contract for local anaesthetics is achieved immediately.
Additionally, the programme has been informed that new supplies have arrived in Malaysia and would be distributed to health facilities throughout the country soon.
“JKN Sarawak has also purchased a large amount of local anaesthetic stock to be distributed to dental clinics in need in Sarawak and some of the supplies have already been received and distributed for the use of dental clinics in Kuching,” he added.
On the telephone cable theft at Kota Sentosa Health Clinic at the end of May 2023, Dr Ooi said JKN Sarawak is now working with Telekom Malaysia (TM) to resolve the problems that have arisen immediately by supplying wireless phones for the clinic to contact patients. — DayakDaily
