Sarawak needs more doctors, nurses urgently

Borneo Post

18 hours ago

The exclusive responsibility of the recruitment of civil servants, including doctors and nurses, into the federal service belongs to the Public Service Commission. — Bernama photo
FROM the report by Jude Toyat in thesundaypost of Aug 10 this year, I detected a symptom of unease relations between two ministries – federal and state – with regard to the transfers of healthcare workers (Sarawakians) from the peninsula to the state.
Our Deputy Premier cum Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government, Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian was quoted by the media as having expressed his unhappiness with one particular exercise where only six out of 850 healthcare workers were transferred to Sarawak 'when the state government wants them back.
What's the snag there?
Is it the problem of politics of federalism, or one of administrative bureaucracy, or a mixture of both?
This sort of problem can be solved quietly.
After all, Sarawak is well represented at the federal level.
Any problem of this nature can be sorted out internally if the officials in each ministry dealing with particular bureaucratic problem(s) enjoy personal or professional rapport.
However, if there is a constitutional constraint in the way of smooth relations, then this requires some intervention: injection of political will.
A large dosage of it!
As they say: 'If there is the will, there is the way.'
This situation often arises when two ministries, federal and state, are doing the same kind of service.
If the problem persists, then it may be time for a procedure in order to get things right.
It would be appropriate to think about autonomy for Sarawak's health ministry; at least, about delegation of powers, specifically in matters relating to transfers of personnel or even the recruitment of doctors and other healthcare workers, as a matter of priority.
With regard to autonomy that the Deputy Premier was referring to in his media statement ( The Borneo Post – April 12, 2025), I am assuming that the state government is ready and willing to shoulder the heavy burden of funding this essential service for as long as it takes.
Otherwise, it would be prudent to think about a strategic approach in dealing with the federal Health Ministry (MoH).
Our men and women walking in the corridors of power will have to work harder in terms of getting adequate funds out of the annual federal budget by showing evidence of prudent use of the money granted in the past.
A bird in hand is worth two in the bush.
The delegation of powers allowed under the federal constitution should serve this same purpose because at the state level, there are competent implementers of the policy – or so I am told.
Autonomy is a more complex proposition than the transfer of officials in the same department or ministry from A to B. Keep it in mind.
I have heard through the grapevine of the move to go for this autonomy.
Sometimes the idea is hotly debated, sometimes it goes cold but simmering all the time.
I haven't got the full picture to be able to participate in the debate.
In general, however, I would remind my readers that Sarawak has been talking about 'autonomy' in education (aiming at quality education for Sarawakians) as a matter of priority for the state.
First thing first. Otherwise, the federal boys will get scared of Sarawak asking for 'more porridge', as the poor Oliver Twist in the Dickens novel did – with disastrous results.
The talk about recruiting doctors and nurses directly to work in the hospitals and clinics in Sarawak may continue.
Debaters should know that the exclusive responsibility of recruitment of civil servants (doctors and nurses are civil servants, either on contract or on pension) into the federal service belongs to the federal Public Service Commission (SPA).
What the state can do is to send a Sarawakian to sit as a member of the SPA to exert some clout there.
However, if autonomy is indeed what Sarawak's healthcare fraternity needs now, then work on it at the political level.
Get the mandate from the electorate for support at the next election.
I am of the opinion that while autonomy would be ideal, I would prefer to get as much as possible via the present channel.
Public Health Master Plan 2050
Before we go ahead with the Public Health Master Plan 2050, many people are wondering about the Flying Doctor Service.
We don't hear much about this healthcare scheme these days.
Is it a case of 'no news is good news'?
I should think that the Flying Doctor Service will be part of the Public Health Master Plan 2050 that the Minister for Public Health was referring to ( The Borneo Post – April 10, 2025).
Mobile clinics
Please also include the study of running the mobile clinics: road-based and river-based?
They should seriously be re-introduced if the sick among the rural people were to enjoy the benefit of modern medicine.
Doctors for NADI
What about doctors for the National Information Dissemination Centre (NADI) sites?
There are 156 of such centres in Sarawak offering services called e-healthcare and tele-medicine among other services.
I went to one the other day and had my blood pressure and my weight measured.
The girl told me that I was not growing any younger – something I already knew, without any professional opinion!
* The opinions expressed in this article are the columnist's own and do not reflect the view of the newspaper.