KUCHING: Medical libraries are evolving into a strategic component of the healthcare ecosystem by supporting evidence-based medicine, big data analytics and health policy formulation.

Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Professor Dr Sim Kui Hian said the role of medical libraries is no longer confined to serving as repositories of information, but has expanded to contribute to the development of technology-driven healthcare systems.

“Medical libraries are no longer merely repositories of information or places where people seek information, but play an important role in shaping evidence-based medicine and the formulation of our health policies,” he said.

He said this when met by reporters after officiating at the Opening Ceremony of the Asia Medical Library Seminar (AMLiS) 2026 at Borneo Cultures Museum, here on Tuesday.

The Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government said the big data held by medical libraries can be harnessed through data analytics to strengthen research and public health policy planning.

Datuk Amar Dr Sim said digital transformation also presents Sarawak with an opportunity to make a technological leap in advancing the state’s healthcare ecosystem as a whole.

According to him, the healthcare ecosystem encompasses various sectors including medical tourism, new drug discovery, research and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) to help address the shortage of doctors.

Meanwhile, he expressed appreciation to the Librarians Association of Malaysia (PPM) for placing its trust in Sarawak to host AMLiS 2026.

The seminar is being held over two days from 8 to 9 September under the theme ‘Empowering Health Knowledge: The Future Role of Medical Libraries in Asia’, bringing together about 150 participants comprising medical librarians, healthcare practitioners, academics, students and researchers from Malaysia and across Asia.

The programme also features guest speakers from Thailand, the Republic of Korea, India, Hong Kong, Australia, Taiwan, Indonesia and Singapore.

The seminar focuses on the transformation of medical libraries in the digital health ecosystem, strengthening the role of librarians in clinical and policy research, bridging the community health information gap and developing innovative and future-ready medical libraries.

Also present at the event were PPM Medical Library Services Group Chairperson Nurazlina Abd Rahman, Special Administrative Officer at the Ministry for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak and AMLiS 2026 Advisor Datuk Dr Rashidah Bolhassan as well as Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Ahmad Hata Rasit. -UKASnews

Prepared By: Ezzah Syafiqah
Photo: Shahril Haqim
Translator: Nerissa Sia