“We’ll take immediate action,” Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai assured yesterday.

“In one or two months time, we’ll send more housemen (medical interns) here. But we can’t fill up all the posts at once, because presently, only 45 per cent has been filled.”

The minister was speaking to reporters here during a visit to the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH), which is the only specialist referral hospital in the state.

Using SGH as an example, Liow noted that about half of its doctor’s posts were also not filled.

“Out of the 326 posts for doctors at this hospital, only 162 have been filled, 164 are vacant. As for specialists, there are 88 posts, 65 are filled, 23 vacant.”

Overall, SGH is lacking about 510 staff, out of 2,945 posts.

Every year, the minister added, public and private universities in Malaysia produced about 3,000 doctors. “Of which, about 300 doctors and 50 specialists leave us (government service) annually.”

Nevertheless, the shortage of medical personnel in Sarawak is not a new issue.

In 2006, only 36 housemen were posted to the state, according to media reports then.

To a question on whether the government would continue to employ foreign doctors to alleviate the shortage, Liow said: “Yes we have doctors from India, Pakistan, Egypt. This is a continuous process, we’ll employ them from time to time.”

According to the World Health Organisation, developed countries have a doctor-population ratio of around 1-600.

“In Malaysia, we are not so bad; it’s one (doctor) to 1,145 people, so it’s quite good — one more fold, and we’ll be able to reach 1-600.”

Turning his attention to rural area healthcare, the minister said he has “seen” the shortages, “so we’ll try to have a rotation of doctors”.

“The time has come for rural area residents to enjoy the services of doctors,” Liow said.

However, he made clear to reporters that the rotation was just a proposal.

“Hospital doctors could be sent to rural clinics…maybe for three months, but this is just a proposal.”

There are more than 100 clinics in Sarawak and a total of 22 general hospitals.

Of late, there has been a wealth of medical related activities in the state capital.

Last month, the Asthma Council Malaysia organised two seminars here.

One of its members noted that there was no “asthma specialist” in Sarawak.

Last Thursday, Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, speaking at the 48th AGM of the Malaysian Medical Association that was also held here, appealed “urgently” to the Health Ministry to fill medical postings in Sarawak.

Taib said: “While I appreciate the improvements I’ve seen so far, at least during the last 25 years, I’m a bit worried of what will happen in the future.”

He noted that half of Sarawak’s population was found in about 5,000 scattered villages.

Only about 70 per cent of Sarawakians had access to permanent health facilities like hospitals and clinics, Taib had added.

In Peninsular Malaysia, 95 per cent of the population has access to these facilities.