KUCHING: The state Health Department will try to provide 24-hour electricity to 53 rural clinics by installing two generators per clinic.
There are a total of 237 government clinics in Sarawak, of which 70 per cent are in rural areas.
Of these rural clinics, 53 of those in the most remote areas of Sarawak are yet to have 24-hour electricity supply.
These clinics are relying on generators with the state Health Department providing two generators per clinic to enable 24-hour electricity supply.
State Health director Datu Dr Zulkifli Jantan told The Borneo Post that despite the lack of 24-hour electricity supply, rural clinics could cope with the medical needs of the community and vaccines could be stored properly.
Dr Zulkifli revealed that three polyclinics in major cities and towns had extended their hours of service to reduce congestion in general hospitals.
They are the Jalan Masjid Community Polyclinic in Kuching, Lanang Polyclinic (Sibu) and Miri Polyclinic (Miri) which have extended operational hours to 9pm.
The normal working hours for other polyclinics are from 8am to 5pm.
And in dengue prone areas in Peninsular Malaysia, some clinics had service hours extended to 11 pm, Dr Zulkifli revealed.
But as dengue cases in Sarawak are still within control, the state Health Department will not implement the shift system.
“In Peninsular Malaysia, dengue patients have been overflowing, so there is a need to extend operational hours of the emergency department (ED) of polyclinics.
This extension of service is only applicable in areas which are the hotspots for dengue,” revealed Dr Zulkifli.
Meanwhile, state Health Assistant Minister Datuk Dr Jerip Susil said medical service in Sarawak had different dynamics from that of Peninsular Malaysia due to the vastness of the state.
“We have so many rural clinics – some of them in the remotest part of Sarawak.
However, it does not mean that the government is compromising medical services provided to rural communities,” said Dr Jerip.
He said despite the lack of 24-hour electricity supply in the 53 rural clinics, generators were able to provide electricity whenever there was an emergency.
“The health authority there is on call 24 hours and the generator set can be turned on anytime, so we are not compromising the medical services for rural people,” said Dr Jerip.
He said apart from electricity, rural areas lack government quarters for medical staff.
“Some of the government quarters for medical staff are built on a ‘gotong-royong’ basis.
They are rundown and need rebuilding,” said the Bengoh assemblyman.