Datuk Dr Jerip Susil
SIBU: The state government has implemented long-term measures to tackle the shortage of doctors in Sarawak, says Assistant Minister of Public Health Datuk Dr Jerip Susil.
The ratio now is one doctor to 1,760 patients in Sarawak compared to 1:700 in the peninsula.
“The shortage arise because doctors from the peninsula often requested for transfer back to their home towns while Sarawakian doctors posted to other states continue to serve there,” explains Dr Jerip.
“Peninsular Malaysian doctors who work in Sarawak want to go back to their own states in due course, but Sarawakian doctors opt to stay in states they are posted to. When these Peninsular Malaysians get transferred back, there is no filling of the vacancies available left by them while Sarawakian doctors are not coming back (to Sarawak),” Dr Jerip, who is Bengoh assemblyman told The Borneo Post yesterday.
He was asked on the measures taken by the state government to address the shortage of doctors in Sarawak.
To remedy the situation, local students, who excelled in Form Five (SPM) are being encouraged to consider taking up matriculation or pre medical in Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), he added.
“We are hoping to increase the number of local medical students who are qualified to do medicine in our local university, Unimas here.
“We will also continue to urge the (Health) Ministry to see to it that any Sarawakian students, who had graduated either from foreign or local universities, and who are placed all over (the country); we would like them to come back and serve the state,” he said.
Last Saturday when officiating SK Agama Sibu’s knowledge corner, Nangka assemblyman Dr Annuar Rapaee commented on the shortage of doctors in Sarawak.
Dr Annuar mentioned the low doctor-patient ratio, which was more glaring in the central region due to its vastness.
To this Dr Jerip said: “We are hoping as time goes by, more and more Sarawakian doctors will actually stay back to serve in the state. He pointed out that the doctor-patient ratio of 1:700 in Peninsula was quite reasonable.
“But otherwise, I think in an ideal setting, it should be one doctor to 500 (patients).”