Datu Dr Zulkifli Jantan
KUCHING: Datu Dr Zulkifli Jantan will retire as State Health Department director tomorrow after serving the state for 35 years.
Hailing from Selangor, Dr Zulkifli was posted to Sarawak after graduating in medicine from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in 1981.
“I was posted to Kuching as a houseman and stayed here until now,” he told See Hua Group reporters when met at his office near here yesterday.
Since then, Dr Zulkifli said he had seen many positive changes in the state. As for the overall health condition in the state, he said Cholera cases had decreased drastically and all the infectious diseases were also disappearing.
“There are also no more Typhoid. Children used to be skinny and have running nose all the time but now they are much better. In fact, now we are worried of them being overweight.”
Dr Zulkifli said the better road connections in the state had also made it easier for healthcare services to be delivered to the people, especially those in rural areas.
“I worked in Lundu in 1983 and we had to travel from Lundu to Sampadi by sea. There was no road. Now you can drive up to the villages.”
When asked on his plan after retirement, he said he would continue to stay here as his family members all preferred to stay here.
To his staff, Dr Zulkifli advised them to always be sincere in discharging their duties.
“My message to my staff is to always serve sincerely. Always be courteous and listen to the patients and their needs.”