KUALA LUMPUR: Efforts to bridge the gap in healthcare services between Sabah, Sarawak, and Peninsular Malaysia remain a key agenda, addressed through the platform of the Implementation Action Council for the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MTPMA63).
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs), Datuk Ts. Mustapha Sakmud, stated that healthcare issues are consistently discussed with relevant ministries to ensure that service delivery to the public continues to improve.
According to him, priority is also being placed on filling vacancies for medical officers and specialists, particularly in the rural areas of Sabah and Sarawak.
Furthermore, the government is encouraging more locals to pursue careers in the medical field by providing scholarships and opportunities for further studies in critical areas.
He explained that this approach is essential to ensure that these states have a larger pool of local professionals ready to serve in their home regions.
Additionally, the government acknowledges that the challenge of posting personnel from Peninsular Malaysia to remote areas is a factor affecting the delivery of healthcare services.
Consequently, the development of local human capital is viewed as a long-term solution to ensure that job vacancies can be consistently filled.
However, this endeavor requires close collaboration between the Federal Government, state governments, and higher education institutions to produce more doctors, specialists, and healthcare personnel.
Moreover, the agenda to strengthen the healthcare sector extends beyond increasing the workforce; it also encompasses upgrading healthcare facilities, developing infrastructure, and ensuring a more balanced distribution of resources.
Ultimately, this comprehensive approach—facilitated through the MA63 framework—is expected to narrow the healthcare service gap between the regions, thereby ensuring that the people of Sabah and Sarawak enjoy better quality and sustainable access to healthcare.
