Latest news with #SimKuiHian
Barnama
3 days ago
- Health
- Barnama
Malaysia Unveils AI-Powered Heart2Miss Breakthroughs At ESC-Heart Failure Congress
KUALA LUMPUR, July 18 (Bernama) -- Groundbreaking findings from Malaysia's Heart2Miss heart failure screening programme were presented at the European Society of Cardiology–Heart Failure Congress on May 18, 2025, in Serbia, highlighting major advances in early heart failure detection powered by artificial intelligence (AI). Supported by AstraZeneca Malaysia, the initiative uses state-of-the-art cardiac ultrasound analysis and was launched in June 2024 with backing from Sarawak's Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government, Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian. In a statement, AstraZeneca said the programme's effectiveness was demonstrated through the screening of 1,000 high-risk patients within a year, identifying 120 positive cases, by using a decentralised, community-based rapid cardiac ultrasound triage model. 'This approach leveraged the expertise of underemployed bioscience graduates as mobile community sonographers, reducing the burden on tertiary centres while enhancing patient referrals and outpatient management. 'Additionally, it facilitated earlier interventions and provided new career opportunities in health diagnostics,' the statement read. According to the statement, the programme's implementation at Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) has significantly streamlined referrals and outpatient care, cutting patient wait times for appointments from nine months to just a few days at nearby health clinics. Heart2Miss Principal Investigator Dr Diana Hui-Ping Foo highlighted that the initiative demonstrates the power of combining innovation with equity, leveraging AI-echo ( telehealth and task-shifting to enable early heart failure detection at the community level. 'By training underutilised bioscience graduates as mobile echo screeners and introducing an intermediary care tier, we enhance primary care support and reduce burden on tertiary cardiac services,' said Foo, who is also the SGH Clinician-Researcher and Head of Human Physiology Lab. Dr Diana Foo spearheaded the study alongside Dr Alan Fong, SGH's Head of Clinical Research Centre. Their collaboration with AstraZeneca Malaysia has been recognised as a model public-private partnership in advancing health outcomes.
Borneo Post
6 days ago
- Health
- Borneo Post
No more folders for patients soon as 149 health clinics in Sarawak to go paperless
Dr Sim (third right) is briefed on the paperless system. – Photo from Facebook/Dr Sim Kui Hian KUCHING (July 15): A total of 149 public health clinics statewide will transition to a paperless system this year with RM10 million in grants from the Sarawak government. Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian said among them is the Batu Kawa Health Clinic, which is on track to go paperless and undergo major facility upgrades as part of the state government's push to modernise healthcare services. 'A total 149 out of 271 health clinics — which handle 70 per cent of the patient load in Sarawak — will be paperless this year. Patients will no longer need to carry written folders,' he said in a Facebook post following a working visit to the clinic. Dr Sim also said that the Batu Kawa Health Clinic is undergoing an RM900,000 upgrading project, which includes expansion of its blood test laboratory, improvements to its air conditioning system, electrical works, and septic tank upgrades. He said the improvements, currently at 12 per cent completion, are on schedule and expected to be completed by December. Dr Sim also called for public understanding over any inconvenience caused during the clinic's digital transition and construction works. Batu Kawa Health Clinic Dr Sim Kui Hian paperless health clinic
The Star
6 days ago
- Health
- The Star
Hospitals still short of doctors
PETALING JAYA: Five years after the Covid-19 pandemic and nearly a decade since the introduction of the contract system, some public healthcare facilities continue to grapple with chronic manpower shortages and long wait times for treatment. Patients at government facilities can face wait times of up to six hours, with doctors at understaffed clinics sometimes seeing between 80 and 100 patients in a single day. An orthopaedic surgeon at a government hospital said the ideal wait time for patients should be around 60 minutes. 'My clinic has about six or seven doctors managing around 120 to 130 patients daily,' he said. 'While some orthopaedic cases with straightforward diagnoses can be handled within five to 10 minutes, the standard consultation takes about 15 minutes per patient. In contrast, psychiatric consultations may require up to 30 minutes, meaning doctors in that field typically see only six to seven patients per day. Ideally, an orthopaedic doctor should be seeing 15 to 20 patients daily,' he added. A recent viral social media post highlighted the issue, with a patient claiming she had registered at Hospital Kuala Lumpur's orthopaedic clinic at 9am but only completed treatment by 3pm. The post included a photo of a notice that read: 'There aren't many doctors. The waiting time to see a doctor will be more than six hours.' Another doctor serving in a rural clinic said patient loads could reach up to 80 a day per doctor. 'We are severely understaffed. We're constantly waiting for more doctors to be posted here,' said the doctor, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to civil service restrictions on public statements. 'Things haven't improved much since the Covid-19 pandemic. Manpower remains a critical issue. It's time to abolish the contract system or we'll never be able to resolve the shortage.' According to projections released in 2023 by Dr Hirman Ismail, deputy director of the Health Ministry's medical development division, the public healthcare sector would require 63,040 doctors by 2025 and 79,931 by 2030. As of last year, there were nearly 52,000 doctors employed in government service. Data from the Statistics Department indicates that the national population is expected to reach 36 million in 2025 and 38 million by 2030. Based on the recommended doctor-to-population ratio, Malaysia would require 90,057 active doctors in 2025 and 114,187 by 2030. It was further projected that 30% of the doctors in public service should be specialists, translating to 18,912 and 23,979 specialists needed in 2025 and 2030 respectively. However, as of last year, only around 8,000 specialists were serving in the public sector. The ministry had targeted a ratio of 2.5 doctors per 1,000 population by 2025 and 3.0 per 1,000 by 2030, equivalent to one doctor for every 400 people by 2025 and one for every 330 people by 2030. Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian said on July 12 that the state would need about 6,000 doctors by 2025, but currently has only 4,000. The contract system, introduced nearly a decade ago, continues to be blamed for the manpower crisis, as not all doctors under contract are absorbed into permanent positions. The country is also contending with a growing brain drain in the medical field. On July 5, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said that a plan to reduce excessive wait times at government hospitals is in the final stages of development. He noted that efforts to address the issue had been ongoing even before he assumed office. To its credit, the ministry has taken steps to ease the situation, including diverting non-critical cases to health clinics to decongest emergency departments, and reducing wait times at health clinics from three hours to 30 minutes.
Borneo Post
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Borneo Post
Dr Sim: Sarawak govt mulls more courts to support rise of pickleball
Dr Sim (fifth left) and Wee (fourth right) pose with MBKS councillors and others during a visit to a training session. KUCHING (July 14): The Sarawak government is looking into creating more pickleball courts to cater for the sport's growing popularity among members the public, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian. 'The government is looking into creating more pickleball courts to cater for this rising interest. We must provide the right infrastructure to support active living,' he said during a visit yesterday to one of the ongoing sessions of the Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Community Pickleball Training Month. He was accompanied by Mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng. Free training sessions are held every Saturday at Picklepro Kuching and Tabuan Laru Family Club as part of MBKS' initiative to promote a healthy and active lifestyle among Kuching South residents through the fast-growing sport of pickleball. Dr Sim highlighted that these sessions not only promote physical activity but also foster community bonding. 'These weekly sessions not only promote a healthy lifestyle, but also bring people together. I hope more residents will come forward and take part,' he said. As of now, a total of 168 participants have registered with more residents still expressing interest. 'The strong response shows just how popular pickleball has become. It's clear this sport is the new trend in Kuching,' he added. Meanwhile, participants of the training sessions are gearing up for the Kuching Festival Mayor's Pickleball Championships which will take place on August 2 and 3. The tournament will feature the four categories of Women's Doubles Open, Men's Doubles Open, Mixed Doubles Open and Veteran Men's Doubles Open. Participants will vie for attractive prizes including cash rewards and quality sports equipment. 'This championships will be a great platform to promote sportsmanship, strengthen community ties and showcase our sporting talent,' Dr Sim said. Dr Sim Kui Hian lead pickleball courts sarawak government
Borneo Post
12-07-2025
- Health
- Borneo Post
Doctors shortage in East M'sia to worsen without pay reform, says Dr Sim
Dr Sim says many doctors are burdened by rising living costs despite the stronger ringgit. – Photo by Chimon Upon KUCHING (July 12): Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian has reiterated calls for improved remuneration for Malaysian doctors, warning that continued brain drain – especially from Sabah and Sarawak – could place greater strain on the national healthcare system. 'We cannot continue with the notion that 'we are cheap and good'. In 2025, we are good, but we need to be paid better,' he said in a Facebook post. Dr Sim was responding to Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) president and fellow Sarawakian, Dato Dr Kalwinder Singh Khaira, who recently urged the federal government to speed up reforms in the national health service. Dr Khaira warned that failure to act could intensify the outflow of Malaysian doctors to neighbouring countries, which offer far more attractive recruitment packages. Highlighting the long training path for doctors – six years of university and at least seven more to specialise – Dr Sim said many are burdened by rising living costs despite the stronger ringgit. 'Medicine may be a noble calling, but we must be realistic. Doctors have families to support, children to educate, and loans to repay, despite the strengthening ringgit,' he stressed. He pointed to Sarawak's rapidly aging population and declining birth rate, noting that the state is expected to become Malaysia's first aging society by 2028, making access to healthcare professionals more critical than ever. Based on Malaysian standards, Sarawak should have around 6,000 doctors by 2025. However, Dr Sim revealed the state currently only has 4,000, and relies heavily on 2,000 doctors from Peninsular Malaysia. Even with Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) producing 150 medical graduates a year, he estimated it would take over a decade for Sarawak to meet the national doctor-to-population ratio. 'Given the financial opportunities, the training opportunities, the job satisfaction opportunities (offered in other countries), the brain drain to other countries will get worse and worse especially from Sabah and Sarawak unless we act now and pay better,' he cautioned. Dr Sim also noted that the Sarawak government, under Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, recognises the need for better civil service pay. This is reflected in the two-month year-end bonus for 2024 and the continued monthly allowances for Sarawak civil servants in 2025. As State Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government, Dr Sim pledged to continue advocating for solutions, including working closely with the federal Ministry of Health on advancing Sarawak's health autonomy under Article 95(C) of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63). The legal provision was amended in 2021 to allow greater devolution of powers to Sarawak. He said the impact of these efforts would only become visible within the next five to ten years. brain drain doctors shortage Dr Sim Kui Hian east malaysia lead pay reform
