KUCHING: More than 800 Sarawakian nurses working outside the state have expressed their desire to serve at home, according to Sarawak Deputy Premier, Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian.
Dr Sim, who is also the State Minister of Public Health, Housing, and Local Government said that there are currently available positions in the state to accommodate them.
He said that healthcare personnel placement is one of the issues being discussed between the state and federal governments under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
“That is why we want to manage our healthcare system rather than waiting for the federal government to decide on postings. These are the issues under MA63 that we wish to discuss, so we can make decisions ourselves.
“(We understand) that most people prefer to work in their home state first. The cost of returning home is also much cheaper, and there’s a significant difference,” he told reporters after attending the launch of the National Influenza Immunisation Programme for the Elderly in Sarawak here today.
On March 3, Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni reportedly said the placement of nurses outside their home states is one of the reasons some choose to leave serving the Health Ministry of Health (MOH).
Lukanisman said the situation posed a challenge for the ministry, as nurse placements are determined based on the needs of each state.
According to Lukanisman, a total of 1,754 nurses left their service with MOH over the past five years, with 27.98 per cent of them due to personal problems.
