KUCHING: About 70 per cent of clinics in Sarawak have been digitalised following a RM10 million investment by the state government in healthcare last year.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian said digitalisation is particularly important for Sarawak, where vast distances continue to pose challenges in delivering accessible healthcare services across the state.
He said Sarawak’s geographical size meant healthcare services could not be viewed solely from the perspective of population size.
“We only have one Heart Centre in Kuching. Can you imagine if there was only one Heart Centre in Peninsular Malaysia from Johor to Penang, and your Heart Centre was either in Johor or Penang?
“If you have a heart attack, how are you going to travel all the way from Johor to Penang or Penang to Johor?
“With digitalisation, we can potentially tap into the system so that services, test results and other information can move faster. This is made possible through technology,” he said.
He said this when delivering his address at the National Pathology Conference 2026 at Pullman Hotel here today (Sept 8).
Dr Sim said advances in technology would continue to transform healthcare, including pathology, and healthcare professionals must learn how to harness such tools effectively.
He said artificial intelligence (AI), genomic medicine and quantum computing were among developments that could significantly change the profession in the future.
He said technology has also made knowledge more accessible, enabling healthcare professionals even in remote areas to keep abreast of developments elsewhere in the world.
“Even in the jungle of Sarawak, you can be as good as anywhere else with all this technology.
“Previously, we had to go to the United Kingdom to learn the latest developments. Nowadays, whatever was discovered there yesterday, you can learn it here today,” he added.
Dr Sim, who is also Public Health, Housing and Local Government Minister, pointed to Sarawak’s experience during the Covid-19 pandemic as an example of how technology and innovation helped address healthcare access challenges.
He said additional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machines and mobile container laboratories were deployed during the pandemic, including to rural areas.
“We had several container laboratories which we deployed to rural areas. Otherwise, we would have had to wait for specimens to be sent over long distances.
“This showed how important innovation and technology are, and why we must continue looking for opportunities and ways to improve,” he said.
