20 years of dedication from scratch to hatch: SGH’s Clinical Research Centre attains full accreditation as Phase 1 trial centre

File photo of the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) in Kuching.

KUCHING, Dec 21: The Clinical Research Centre (CRC) of Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) has finally attained full accreditation as Phase 1 Unit for its First-in-Human (FIH) clinical trials, the first in Malaysia, by the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) of Ministry of Health.

Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian emphasised the significance of this achievement, characterising it as the culmination of 20 years of dedication and hard work from scratch to hatch – from the humble beginnings rooted in the courage to dream to the endeavour evolved into a resilient medical team that refused to give up.

Initially, the CRC SGH was only awarded provisional accreditation.

Despite the full accreditation being delayed due to two years of Covid-19, Dr Sim expressed immense pride in every single person who has contributed to this success.

“When I was given the opportunity to start the third CRC SGH in 2003, everyone was asking what are we doing in clinical research and why are we doing clinical research (when) we don’t have the experience and the reputation.

“Despite these doubts, it was a group of courageous souls from pharmacists to nurses, medical officers, scientists and specialists leadership, who dared to take the risk, shared the same vision and were passionate in the mission…. despite all the odds, we made it (even) from the jungle of Borneo!,” he shared in a post on his social media yesterday (Dec 20).

Dr Sim Kui Hian

Dr Sim, who is also Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government, highlighted that this project extends beyond a state-of-the-art facility, but encompasses the cultivation of expertise, specialists, contributions to medical knowledge and the creation of high-value job opportunities.

“This is a nation building project, shaping a new ecosystem that Sarawak never had. The clinical research trials market size was valued at USD48.68 billion in 2022,” he said.

He added that this goes to show that Sarawak not only possesses the hardware (advanced facilities) but also boasts the software (human talents) capable of accelerating development and growth in the medical sector.

“We are as good as any centres in the world in clinical trial research if we are given the opportunity. This is not just niche and specialised, knowledge-based talents, but (Sarawak) is competitive in both Malaysia where Ampang Hospital currently has provisional accreditation with its UMMC under construction, and regionally in Singapore, Thailand and Australia,” he elaborated.

Dr Sim thanked former health director-general Tan Sri Mohd Ismail Merican and subsequent leaders for taking the risk and providing funding for facilities in Sarawak, despite no such dedicated Phase 1 facility in Southeast Asia in 2008.

Recalling Sarawak’s healthcare sector development over 20 years, Dr Sim noted the public had little confidence in the SGH even when he started the cardiac service there.

“But later on when we have proved beyond doubts, one old lady asked me, ‘Doctor, are you any good or not?’. I asked her ‘why?’. She replied that all the good ones left the public hospital for private. Why are you still in public?’. I told the aunty, that those in private are all my students. The ‘sifu’ (master) is here and if he is not good, how good will his students be?”

Dr Sim conveyed his pride in serving in government hospitals, asserting that “we are not cheap and good but good and happens to be cheap”.

With CRC SGH achieving exceptional outcomes, he called on Sarawakians to rally behind and support the centre’s international competitiveness.

Under the leadership of Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, the Sarawak government is advancing the medical specialised service and research ecosystem. Projects like the Sarawak Infectious Disease and Tropical Centre (under construction, estimated completion in 2026) and the pending Sarawak Cancer Centre, in proximity to the existing Sarawak Heart Centre, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) and Univesiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Samarahan, signal a collaborative effort towards nation-building in the medical field. — DayakDaily