Government Aims To Fill 15,000 Nursing Vacancies This Year
SIBU: Efforts to strengthen the national healthcare system are being intensified as the government targets filling 15,000 vacancies for certified nurses in public hospitals nationwide this year.
Deputy Health Minister Dato Hanifah Hajar Taib stated that this step is crucial to addressing the increasingly significant manpower shortage currently being faced.
According to her, the demand is driven by the country's ageing population trend and the rise in chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart conditions, which require long-term monitoring.
“We often hear that nurses are the backbone of the healthcare system, and that statement is indeed true. Their role transcends clinical protocols; they become the link between a patient's sense of isolation and a sense of belonging,” she said while officiating the Diploma in Nursing Programme and Nursing Simulation Lab at Methodist Pilley Institute (MPI) on Saturday.
Dato Hanifah, who is also the Member of Parliament for Mukah, further emphasised that the skills of nurses — rooted in empathy and high sensitivity — can transform a treatment environment into a more meaningful healing space.
During the ceremony, she praised MPI’s initiative in introducing the diploma programme, describing it as timely for meeting job market demands.
She welcomed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between MPI, Rejang Medical Centre, and Borneo Medical Centre, which offers full sponsorship and allowances to students.
She noted that such collaborations between educational institutions and the private sector are excellent examples of driving growth while fulfilling social responsibilities to strengthen the public health system.
The three-year Diploma in Nursing at MPI is now open for registration, with the first cohort intake beginning on 27 April 2026.
The programme is open to SPM leavers with at least credits in Bahasa Melayu, Mathematics (Basic/Modern/Additional), and Science (Science/Biology/Chemistry/Physics), alongside passes in English and one other additional subject.
AThe diploma is globally recognised and fully complies with guidelines accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) and the Malaysian Nursing Board (MNB).
Also in attendance were Senator Robert Lau Hui Yew, MPI Board of Directors Chairman Paul Wong Hee Kwong, MPI Deputy Chairman Dr Peter Tang, Sarawak Chinese Annual Conference President Rev. Dr Lau Hui Ming, Rejang Medical Centre representative Dr Lau Ngiik Chuong, and Borneo Medical Centre representative Dr John Chew. — UKASnews
