Cut red tape hindering healthcare devt in Sarawak, MoH told
MIRI: The Ministry of Health (MoH) needs to take serious look into the issues of bureaucratic red tapes and over-centralisation, says Minister of Transport Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin.
He regards them as factors contributing to project delays and also the inefficiency in the delivery of medical and healthcare services here, and in Sarawak as a whole.
In a remark made to Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah who visited Miri Hospital on Sunday, Lee pointed out the newly-completed Malaysia Red Crescent (MRC) Dialysis Centre at Pemyjaya in Tudan here as an example of the problem caused by bureaucracy.
“The building was completed towards the latter part of 2021, and the occupation certificate was issued by Miri City Council (MCC) in December 2021.
“All the necessary installations, including dialysis machines, were fully completed in March and ready for operation.
“Yet when we applied for the operating licence, we learned that a part of the procedure was to have inspection carried out by the MoH so that the licence could be issued,” said Lee.
Adding on, he said an appeal was made to Health Department Sarawak to assist in the inspection and thus, expedite the whole licensing procedure for the dialysis centre.
“Yet, we were told that they (department) had no authority. The explanation given was that the inspection must be carried out by officers from the MoH headquarters in Putrajaya.”
Lee, who is also chairman of the MRC Dialysis Centre Miri, felt that such matter could have been delegated to the Health Department Sarawak director.
In this respect, Lee said he was seeking help from Dr Noor Hisham, hoping that the latter could assist in expediting the issuance of the operating licence – a process that had been pending for more than six months.
Lee said the new dialysis centre was built in accordance with the plan approved by the MoH and also the relevant local authorities.
“It is a purpose-built dialysis centre, serving as a non-profit facility to accommodate the increasing number of end-stage renal failure patients, especially those from the northern part of Miri.
“The existing centre at Jalan Bulan Sabit here currently serves 327 patients, with more on the long waiting list.
“Once the new centre starts operation, the kidney patients in Kuala Baram, Tudan, Desa Senadin and Promin Jaya can choose to have their dialysis treatment there (new centre), which would be closer to home,” he added.
Lee, who is Senadin assemblyman, also raised a number of issues affecting Miri Hospital during the meeting with the Health director-general.
Lee said he had proposed, several times, for Miri Hospital to be made the referral hospital for the northern region of Sarawak.
“In other words, upgrade it to a regional hospital.
“Such upgrade would mean that Miri Hospital should have a full range of facilities and be staffed with specialists in cardiology, oncology and neurology.”
According to Lee, in Peninsula Malaysia every state has a state hospital.
“Sarawak only has one state hospital that is located in Kuching, despite the state being almost as big in size as Peninsular Malaysia.
“Looking at the transport and logistics problems in such a big geographical area, Sarawak should have at least three regional hospitals: one for Southern Region (Kuching), one for Central Region (Sibu) and another from Northern Region (Miri),” said the minister.