Latest news with #17thPublicHealthColloquium
Daily Express
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Express
Sabah wants rural docs waiver: Federal freeze on allowances
Published on: Thursday, June 12, 2025 Published on: Thu, Jun 12, 2025 By: Nora Ahmad Text Size: James, accompanied by Dr Maria, upon arrival for the colloquium Kota Kinabalu: State Community Development and People's Wellbeing Minister Datuk James Ratib is pushing for rural doctors' allowances in Sabah and Sarawak to be exempt from the current Federal freeze. He said he would present the proposal to Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad during a meeting scheduled here today (Thursday), citing concerns that the frozen allowances could worsen the State's existing doctor shortage in rural areas. Advertisement 'We are already facing a shortage of doctors serving in rural areas. If their allowances remain frozen, many doctors may not renew their government contracts, which would severely impact Sabah,' he told reporters after officiating the 17th Public Health Colloquium, here, Wednesday. He pointed out the disparity between urban and rural postings, noting that while both face the same allowance freeze, rural doctors work in areas lacking basic infrastructure, including wifi access, clean water supply and electricity. For the record, according to State Health Director Dr Maria Suleiman, Sabah currently has 2,981 permanent doctors and specialists, with an additional 1,072 on contract. On healthcare infrastructure improvements, James revealed that around 30 remaining wooden health clinics Statewide will be replaced with concrete structures, expected to be completed next year. He said during his two-and-a-half-year tenure, about 100 dilapidated wooden clinics have been upgraded. He also disclosed ongoing efforts to acquire Sabah's first Positron Emission Tomography scanner for cancer detection and monitoring. The machine, currently under tender process and expected to arrive this year, will be installed at the Sabah Women and Children's Hospital, eliminating the need for patients to travel to Sarawak for scans that cost up to RM3,000. Additionally, he called for improved regulation of electronic cigarettes, citing concerns about illegal substance contamination. He said he could only make recommendations to the Health Ministry to improve regulations on vape-related matters. 'I will recommend improvements in advisory measures to prevent indiscriminate vaping, a study to control (the manufacturing of vape products) and to determine whether they are laced with drugs. 'If the vape liquid contains drugs, the responsible individuals should be arrested,' he said. On banning the sale of vapes, James said the jurisdiction lied with the Local Government and Housing Ministry. Perlis, Terengganu, Kelantan, Johor and Kedah have banned the sale of vape products. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Daily Express
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Express
Minister urges exemption of rural doctor allowance freeze in Sabah, Sarawak
Published on: Wednesday, June 11, 2025 Published on: Wed, Jun 11, 2025 By: Nora Ahmad Text Size: James visits one of the booths at the colloquium . KOTA KINABALU: Community Development and People's Wellbeing Minister Datuk James Ratib has proposed that rural doctor allowances in Sabah and Sarawak be exempted from the current federal freeze. He said the proposal would be brought up with Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad during a scheduled meeting on Thursday. Advertisement James warned that the freeze could discourage contract doctors from renewing their service in remote areas, worsening the rural doctor shortage in Sabah. Speaking at the 17th Public Health Colloquium on Wednesday, he also highlighted ongoing basic facility issues in rural Sabah, including poor internet access, water supply, and electricity. He further urged the Health Ministry to strengthen regulations on e-cigarettes, noting concerns over the use of banned substances in some products. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Health
- New Straits Times
Instead of banning vape, Sabah proposes tighter regulations
KOTA KINABALU: Instead of banning vapes, Sabah will look into tightening the regulation of electronic cigarettes. Datuk James Ratib said as Sabah health executive councillor, he could only make recommendations to the Health Ministry to improve regulations on vape-related matters. "I will recommend improvements in advisory measures to prevent indiscriminate vaping, a study to control (the manufacturing of vape products) and to determine whether they are laced with drugs. "If the vape liquid contains drugs, the responsible individuals should be arrested," said the state Community Development and People's Wellbeing Minister after launching the 17th Public Health Colloquium at a hotel here. Present was Sabah Health director Dr Maria Suleiman. On banning the sale of vapes, James said the jurisdiction lied with the Local Government and Housing Ministry. Perlis, Terengganu, Kelantan, Johor and Kedah have banned the sale of vape products. According to Universiti Sains Malaysia, the National Poison Centre recorded 76 poisoning cases linked to vape products suspected of containing dangerous synthetic drugs between 2020 and 2024. A senior economics expert from Universiti Putra Malaysia said the economic returns from the vape industry were relatively small and short term, as the government has estimated that treating a single case of e-cigarette or vaping-associated lung injury would cost about RM150,000. Since last October, the Health Ministry has enforced the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852), which includes provisions for e-cigarettes. James said he would meet Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad during his visit to Sabah tomorrow. Issues he plans to raise with the Health Ministry are the procurement of Sabah's first Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan machine, the provision of allowances for health personnel in rural areas and the need to expedite the establishment of the Sabah Heart Centre. Dr Maria said Sabah had about 4,000 doctors across the state. She said out of 130 dilapidated wooden health clinics, 97 had been upgraded to date.
