Sarawak's health autonomy to be discussed between ministers this Monday
Dr Sim, after opening the National Information Dissemination Centre (Nadi) in his constituency of Batu Kawa in the outskirts of the city here today, said pertinent issues like the delay in the completion of the cancer hospital in Samarahan, shortage of medical officers, transfers of Sarawakian medical staff back from the peninsula and administrative powers would be discussed.
Dr Sim, who is also the state housing and public health minister, said this would be his second meeting with Dzulkefly on Sarawak's health autonomy roadmap. The first meeting was held in April.
He said the issues agreed upon will be brought to the Technical Committee on MA63, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, on Aug 18 for further discussion.
He said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim would then chair the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) Implementation Action Council on Sept 12 and announce the issues that were resolved.
Dr Sim said funding is a challenge in Sarawak's health autonomy push.
Citing the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital in Australia, which is roughly the same size as Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) here, Dr Sim said the Brisbane hospital has an annual budget of RM5 billion whereas SGH has RM750 million only.
Dr Sim said Sarawak will push for the Australian model where healthcare is under the state with its own health director-general, but funding is from the federal government.
On his recent fact-finding tour of the healthcare system in Australia, Dr Sim said Western Australia's Healthcare Command Centre should be studied as it was set up to manage the healthcare of a large area with a sparse, scattered population just like in Sarawak.
He said the Healthcare Command Centre there provided special support – nursing, ambulance services and coordination of rural hospitals.
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