Sarawak is committed to accelerating transformation of its public healthcare system involving infrastructure, manpower and funding.
Deputy Premier Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian said an estimated RM17bil was required to upgrade state healthcare facilities, noting that about 70% of existing infrastructure was below standard, with some in poor condition.
“We have presented this to the Prime Minister, who understands the urgent need for Sarawak to upgrade its healthcare system.
“Our aim is to catch up with the standards in Peninsular Malaysia,” he said at the handing over of a new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine to Hospital Sibu.
To support long-term planning, Dr Sim said the state had allocated several million ringgit to engage Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) to develop the Public Health Master Plan 2050.
“This plan will allow us to project future disease patterns, identify their causes and determine our key healthcare priorities.”
Highlighting manpower shortages, he said a recent visit by Health Ministry to 11 hospitals in Sarawak, including Hospital Sibu, revealed a shortfall of some 11,000 personnel across seven hospitals.
“This is consistent with existing disparities.
“For example, Sarawak General Hospital has 1,000 beds but only 4,500 staffers, compared to 5,500 staffers in similar-size hospitals in Peninsular Malaysia.”
Dr Sim said Hospital Sibu has around 2,000 staffers and was short of about 800 personnel.
“As a result, our healthcare workers are working much harder compared to their counterparts in similarly sized hospitals in Peninsular Malaysia.”
He also pointed out the rising cost of healthcare operations, noting that Hospital Sibu’s annual operating cost stood at RM285mil, while Sarawak General Hospital required RM850mil annually.
The Sarawak Heart Centre, meanwhile, costs about RM150mil a year to operate.
“Healthcare is not only expensive, but we are also facing a serious shortage of doctors.”
Dr Sim said although the Health Minister recently announced 5,000 house officer positions, only 528 were filled, leaving a shortfall of about 4,400 doctors.
“With Unimas and Monash University Malaysia each producing only about 150 doctors each year, the gap remains significant.
“If this continues, we will face an even greater shortage of specialists in the next 10 years.”
He said addressing these longstanding challenges required structural reform, including greater healthcare autonomy for Sarawak under Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
“We need to delegate more authority and funding back to Sarawak so that we can better integrate public and private healthcare services and maximise our resources.”
On infrastructure development, Dr Sim said the proposed expansion of Sarawak Heart Centre was estimated to cost RM1.5bil.
“However, due to current global uncertainties, the Federal Government may only be able to provide a loan of RM1bil, leaving a RM500mil gap.
“The Premier is prepared for Sarawak to fund this shortfall to ensure our people receive the maximum benefit,” said Dr Sim.
Also present at the ceremony was Deputy Health Minister Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib.
