Betong MP: Review healthcare staffing based on geography, area’s needs; not population alone

File photo for illustration purposes only. Photo: Bruno/Pixabay

By DayakDaily Team

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5: The federal government has been urged to review its approach to deploying and distributing healthcare personnel by considering geographical factors and the actual needs of specific areas, rather than relying solely on population size.

In a Sarawak Public Communication Unit (Ukas) report, Betong MP Dato Dr Richard Rapu said the challenges of delivering healthcare services in Sarawak were similar in many respects to those in Sabah, particularly vast geographical areas, specialist shortages, infrastructure limitations, and difficulty accessing treatment.

He said the distribution of healthcare personnel should be tailored to each area’s conditions and needs to ensure people in rural and interior communities also have access to quality healthcare services.

Dr Richard said this while supporting the presentation of the Health Select Committee’s Report DR. 30 on its working visit to Sabah on strengthening healthcare service delivery and facilities in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Meanwhile, Dr Richard said shortages of specialist doctors and healthcare personnel in interior areas, including Hulu Rejang, Hulu Baram, Betong, Sri Aman and Lubok Antu, remained a serious challenge.

He said the situation in Betong, for example, saw only three new doctors assigned to replace 15 doctors who had left the area, resulting in a shortage of 12 doctors.

Touching on the decentralisation of healthcare management under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), he also questioned the scope for the Sarawak government to play a greater role in planning, managing, and developing healthcare infrastructure.

According to him, such a move was important to reduce bureaucracy at the Federal level and accelerate the delivery of healthcare services to the people, particularly in rural and interior areas.

Dr Richard therefore hoped the report’s recommendations would translate into concrete action through funding allocations, adequate deployment of healthcare personnel, and implementation of projects suited to the needs of individual areas and the safety and well-being of the people. — DayakDaily