Its minister Datuk Seri Dr Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said today the challenge faced by the health management in Sarawak required such a move to be implemented in efforts to enhance the state’s health service and delivery.
“At present Sarawak has 213 specialist doctors and 93 percent of the posts have been filled. But based on our discussion, there is a proposal to increase these posts from 213 in stages.
“KKM will discuss with the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Public Service Department (PSD) to provide more specialist doctors to Sarawak, which will be filled after the endorsement is received,” he told a media conference after holding a discussion with Sarawak health management team and visiting the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) here.
Also present were State Health Department director Datuk Dr Zulkifli Jantan and SGH director Dr Chin Zin Hing.
Dr Subramaniam said the ministry would also enhance opportunities by providing specialist training to the doctors currently serving in Sarawak, as part of efforts to increase the quality of the state’s health service.
“There are also requests that the allowance and incentives be raised as an attraction but these have to be discussed with PSC and PSD as they touched on existing policies,” he said, adding that the current doctor and residents ratio in the state was 1:1200 compared to 1:768 at the national level.
He said the disparity was discussed during the cabinet meeting and with the cooperation of the state’s leaders, the government was looking for the best way to increase the number of doctors by giving more opportunities to Sarawakians to pursue medicine in public and private universities.
— BERNAMA
