Lee (third right) presents the award to Siman. Witnessing this are (from left) Dr Noor Izni, Dr Wong, Dr Azlee and Beti.
MIRI (April 25): Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin said the Health Ministry (MoH) should study how to create a service scheme that provides opportunities for qualified medical assistants (MAs) who have the potential to further their studies to become doctors.
“Their practical experiences can still help them when given the opportunity to continue their medical studies,” he said.
According to him, during the pandemic crisis, assistant medical officers played many roles such as taking samples, guarding the quarantine centre and international entrance at the national border or airport along with assisting in providing treatment.
“This is where every personality as well as mental and physical strength of an assistant medical officer is tested,” he said in his address at the state-level Assistant Medical Officer Day in Pustaka Miri yesterday.
“As we all know, the MA, or now known as assistant medical officer, is one of the most important professions in Malaysia. This profession has existed for more than 230 years, before the formation of Malaysia,” he said.
Formerly known as sub-assistant surgeon or the colloquial ‘Dressar’, Lee said the profession had played a very important role in the development of universal health in Malaysia, especially in Sarawak, due to the very limited number of doctors at that time.
He elaborated that the increase in the number of hospitals and the upgrading of clinics from rural clinics or community clinics to the status of health clinics in Sarawak requires more assistant medical officers to ensure that the health development system would continue to run smoothly and perfectly.
“Health clinics still need the services of assistant medical officers, in line with the national health policy, to ensure the people continue to stay healthy wherever they are,” he said.
Similarly at the hospital level, Lee added that the profession had played important roles in specialist clinics, operating theatres and emergencies.
Meanwhile, the event also held the presentation of the Sarawak Assistant Medical Officer Exemplary Award to Siman Entol, who is also Chief Assistant Medical Officer for Sarawak.
Also present at the event were Sarawak Health deputy director Dr Azlee Ayub, Miri Hospital director Dr Jack Wong, Miri Family Health Development Sector head Dr Noor Izni Mohamed Shapie, Sarawak Assistant Medical Officers Association chairman Beti Inka and Sarawak Union Medical Assistants chairman Maurice Medan.