Sarawak begins a six-month study to establish a medical faculty, addressing a critical shortage of 1,817 medical officers and 2,300 nurses statewide.
KUCHING: The Sarawak government has launched a six-month feasibility study to establish a medical faculty at a state-owned institution.
The study group, led by Universiti Teknologi Sarawak (UTS), will evaluate the potential for a new medical faculty to address critical healthcare professional shortages.
Deputy Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee highlighted the state’s urgent need for more medical staff.
“The Deputy Premier (Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian) has repeatedly highlighted this critical issue,” he said during a State Legislative Assembly session.
“We are short of 1,817 medical officers, 246 specialists and 2,300 nurses statewide.”
Dr Annuar called on the federal government to take immediate action, noting healthcare is a constitutional responsibility and basic human right.
He was responding to a question from Safiee Ahmad (GPS-Daro) regarding establishing a Faculty of Medicine and Nursing.
The feasibility study will focus on five key areas including assessing demand for an undergraduate medical programme.
It will evaluate institutional readiness in terms of human resources and infrastructure.
The group will ensure compliance with relevant standards and assess the project’s financial viability.
Potential risks will be identified along with mitigation strategies.
A roadmap for implementation covering accreditation, construction and student recruitment will also be provided.
