(Kuching, 1st) Sarawak currently has about 4,600 doctors serving throughout the state, but most of them are not Sarawakian.
Sarawak Deputy Premier Dato Amar Sim Kui Hian stated that among them, 4,000 doctors work with the Malaysian Ministry of Health, while another 600 doctors work in the private sector.
“We have only 4,600 doctors in Sarawak. According to the latest statistical data, a total of 4,000 doctors are working with the Ministry of Health, while 659 doctors are working in the private sector. These private doctors work not only in clinics but also in private hospitals.”
He made these remarks today while officiating the opening ceremony of the Malaysia Sarawak Medical Association and Sarawak Private Practitioner Association office.
He emphasized that the issue of local doctor shortages needs serious attention, especially since most of the doctors serving in the state are not from Sarawak.
“While the number of doctors is small, only 4,000, most of them are non-Sarawakian. This is the reason why we want to address this issue.”
Therefore, he called for increased efforts to train more local doctors to better meet the healthcare needs of the Sarawak people in the future.