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Kota Kinabalu
Isnin, Februari 10, 2025
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Liew : Sabah’s rural areas in dire need of more health care facilities

Liew (centre, back row) leads the visiting group, health staff and children in saying “Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year” at the handover of Christmas cakes and goodies. On her right is Dr Hanim.

KOTA KINABALU: Former Member of Parliament for Tawau Datuk Christina Liew welcomed the announcement by new Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa that the Ministry of Health will improve health services, especially in terms of infrastructure, in Sabah and Sarawak. 

She said the rural areas in particular are in dire need of more health care facilities to provide the necessary services to the populace.

“It is important to invest in health care infrastructure (buildings and facilities as well as health professionals) to deliver standard health care services.

“Only when the people have a clean bill of health will they be economically productive and able to contribute to the nation’s socio-economic development and prosperity.

“In this day and age, we shouldn’t be hearing of helpless women bleeding to death before medical help could reach them in remote parts of the state,” Liew, who is Api-Api Assemblywoman, said in a statement on Thursday, after visiting the Sabah Women and Children’s Hospital to present Christmas cakes for the health staff and 215 packs of goodies for the children’s wards.

As an anti-Covid precaution, the visiting group could not go into the children’s wards. Hence, the Christmas goodies were presented to Senior Chief Assistant Director, Dr Fauziah Hanim Hashim at the Conference Room. Also present were Matron Rose Sidau and Matron Jousia Siani from the Paediatric Clinic.

On a related matter, Liew called for action to expedite the upgrading of 326 health clinics in Sabah, which are in need of immediate upgrading as revealed by former Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin before the 15th General Election.

Last Saturday, Dr Zaliha said her Ministry has taken note of the complaints and problems related to health services in both Sabah and Sarawak.

Liew said it was beyond comprehension that some years ago, a sick woman had to be transported in a bull-cart to the main road from her village to be taken to the hospital for treatment. 

“And not long ago, a villager had to be carried in a stretcher from her home to the waiting ambulance some distance away because the vehicle could not cross a broken bridge that leads to the villager’s home. 

“All this goes to show the deplorable condition of our road and bridge infrastructure in some parts of Sabah, despite 59 years of independence and being the richest state, once upon a time,” she pointed out.

Meanwhile, Liew also expressed the hope that the newly-completed additional Tawau hospital building will be operational soon.

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