KUCHING: Sarawak needs to address the challenge of trained healthcare workers migrating elsewhere, to ensure that investment in developing health expertise and workforce continues to benefit the state.

Sarawak Deputy Premier and Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government Datuk Amar Professor Dr Sim Kui Hian said the issue needs attention in efforts to strengthen healthcare workforce capacity, including ensuring that training provided instils not only skills and knowledge, but also values and commitment to serve.

"We train many healthcare workers, but eventually they migrate. That's what we're facing now. We train many people who then migrate — so should we stop training them just so they don't migrate?" he said.

He said this while speaking at the Borneo Health Scientific Conference, here on Saturday.

He added that healthcare workforce development needs to be viewed holistically, with emphasis on expertise, workforce development, research and the use of technology to improve the quality of healthcare and expand access for the community.

"What matters more to us is ensuring the quality of healthcare and how that service can be delivered to the community. This requires the government, public and private health sectors, universities, researchers, industry and professionals across various fields of expertise to work together," he said.

He said a collaborative approach among various parties is important in producing new solutions to health challenges, including ensuring that the expertise developed can be optimally utilised within the state's health system.

Datuk Amar Dr Sim added that the strength of a health system should not be measured solely by the number of facilities, but by treatment outcomes and the benefits received by patients.

In the context of neuroscience, he said the rising number of stroke and dementia cases makes the field increasingly important to strengthen, including through early diagnosis, more effective treatment and better rehabilitation.

The conference brought together about 200 participants comprising health professionals, medical practitioners, researchers, academics and industry players from Sarawak, Sabah, Brunei, Kalimantan and other regions.

Also present were KPJ Healthcare Berhad Officer-in-Charge and Group Medical Director Professor Dato Dr Hanafiah Harunarashi, KPJ University of Health Sciences Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Tunku Kamarul Zaman Tunku Zainol Abidin, Regional Chief Executive Officer for East Malaysia Dr Kenny Yeap Kim Pey, KPJ University of Health Sciences Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research and Innovation) Professor Dr Lekhsan Othman, Kuching Specialist Hospital Medical Director Dr Mahadhir Alhady Sulaiman, Kuching Specialist Hospital Chief Executive Officer Nor Azlina Jemain, and Chairman of the First Borneo Health Scientific Conference Dr Lau Bik Liang. -UKASnews

Prepared by: Lonney Jinab
Photos: Lonney Jinab
Translator: Uilson Ng