KUCHING: A deputy minister on Tuesday called attention to the condition of health clinics, especially in the state’s rural areas, saying most of these are 40-50 years old.
He appealed to the Ministry of Health (MoH) to prioritise the upgrading of health clinics across Sarawak, particularly in rural areas where most facilities are still classified as Type 5 or Type 6 clinics.
Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi who is Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier’s Department, said there was an urgent need to elevate these clinics to at least Type 4 status to ensure better access to essential medical services, including fully equipped laboratories and X-ray facilities.
He said it is important to upgrade medical services to allow for on-site blood tests, liver and kidney function tests, and X-ray facilities, eliminating the need for patients to travel to major hospitals in the city.
“Most of our rural clinics are over 40 to 50 years old. In my constituency, we have clinics that were built as early as the 1980s, and some even before the formation of Malaysia.
“The buildings are mostly made of wood and are now in a dilapidated state,” he said after the presentation of medical and non-medical goods at Kampung Telaga Air Health Clinic on Aug 5.
In this context Dr Abdul Rahman said health clinics over 40 years old should be considered for replacement.
Currently, there is no formal policy in Sarawak requiring the rebuilding of clinics after a certain age, but he suggested that, like schools, ageing clinics should be replaced.
“Our people in Sarawak deserve the same level of healthcare facilities as citizens elsewhere in Malaysia,” he said.
In Pantai Damai, there are currently four government clinics: Telaga Air, Kampung Buntal, Kampung Santubong, and the newer Pantai Damai Clinic in Bandar Baru Samariang.
Among these, the Santubong Health Clinic has already secured funding for a new building.
Dr Abdul Rahman who is Pantai Damai assemblyman highlighted that both the Telaga Air and Buntal clinics urgently require new premises.
“The current structures are unsafe. In some cases, the floors are so unstable that people have to take turns going upstairs. These clinics serve large populations. Telaga Air caters to about 7,000 residents from 11 villages,” he said.
Dr Abdul Rahman said rural clinics must be equipped with comprehensive facilities to meet growing demand, especially as development in these areas accelerates.
“With the upcoming iCATS University campus near Telaga Air, this area will become a new township. We must be ready with adequate medical services. Just as old wooden schools are being replaced with modern buildings, our rural clinics also deserve new, well-equipped premises,” he added.
He hoped the MoH will give serious consideration to the proposal so that rural communities in Sarawak can enjoy improved and modern healthcare services.
