Sarawak’s local councils urged to strengthen role in public health
KUCHING: Local authorities in Sarawak need to strengthen their role in public health in line with the state’s efforts to restore its autonomy in health services, said Professor Datu Dr Andrew Kiyu.
“This is an opportune time for us as people are talking about autonomy for Sarawak health services. The formation of the Sarawak Infectious Diseases Centre is one.
“Once we have the Sarawak Infectious Diseases Centre (ready by 2024), we need to amend the law (Protection of Public Health Ordinance 1999).
“For example, funds from compounds issued by the local authorities for offences such as smoking at eateries can go to them directly, instead of to the central fund of the federal government.
“We are going to amend this (law) for the Sarawak Infectious Diseases Centre but I think the local authorities should take this opportunity to strengthen its role in public health in Sarawak,” he said during the virtual roundtable webinar on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for Sarawak Local Authorities 2021 yesterday.
The public health specialist from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak’s (Unimas) Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences mentioned these in his paper on ‘Strengthening Public Health Programme in Local Authorities in Sarawak’.
According to him, major services for local authorities in Sarawak have declined over the years and were taken over by the federal government while public health services have been limited to residual services.
He added other opportunities to strengthen public health in Sarawak include a discussion between Unimas and Yayasan Sarawak to provide training for medical officers and subsequently include them as public health medicine specialists in the local authorities.
The roundtable webinar on SDGs for Sarawak Local Authorities 2021 was organised by Ministry of Local Government and Housing (MLGH) in collaboration with Sarawak Development Institute (SDI).
Other speakers include Prime Minister’s Department Economic Planning Unit deputy director Abd Rahim Abd Hamid and assistant director Melissa Mokhtar on ‘Overview of SDGs Status in Malaysia’; Professor Agamuthu Pariatamby from Jeffrey Sachs Centre, Sunway University on ‘Waste Management and SDGs’; and WWF-Sarawak Conservation Programme head Dr Jason Hon on ‘Environmental Sustainability Issues and Challenges in Sarawak’.
Local Government and Housing Minister Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian in his opening remarks said this event comes at a very appropriate time as it is a follow-up to the United Nations’ call to adopt the SDGs in which Malaysia is one of the 193 signatory countries to commit its implementation till the year 2030.
“The SDG 2030 is a critical component that will help to put into perspective the recently launched Post Covid Development Strategy 2030. With the goals set in place, it shall guide the local authorities to focus on areas of critical concern that need to be prioritised especially the post Covid action plans,” he said.