KOTA KINABALU: The Health Ministry aims to double the intake of nurse trainees to address the ongoing shortage of healthcare workers in the country.
Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni expressed optimism that the surge in nurse trainees will meet current demands, particularly with private colleges resuming diploma courses in nursing as of Aug 1.
He acknowledged the ongoing challenge of filling healthcare positions, especially with the expansion of hospitals and clinics nationwide.
Lukanisman stated at the Health Ministry Training Institute (ILKKM) graduation ceremony on Saturday (Oct 12), "We are struggling to fill all the positions. Therefore, we will be increasing the number of nurse trainees from 1,000 to 2,000 annually."
Currently, the nurse-to-population ratio in Sabah is 1:368, which is below the World Health Organisation’s recommended ratio of 1:200.
He added that the ministry is committed to improving these numbers by attracting more Sabah youth to join the health sector through various programmes and initiatives.
"This year alone, ILKKM received a record-breaking 3.4 million applications, with 32% coming from Sabah," he noted.
This surge in applications is part of the ministry’s strategy to boost the healthcare workforce and cater to the growing network of health facilities.
Just a few months ago, Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapha Sakmud announced that private colleges could once again offer diploma courses in nursing, ending a suspension in place since 2010.
Mustapha explained that this decision was made in light of the anticipated shortage of registered nurses to meet healthcare and population demands by 2030.
In another development, Lukanisman revealed that RM21.5mil has been allocated under the Bitara Madani programme to upgrade health clinics in Sabah.
These projects include demolishing and rebuilding 21 clinics and repairing 56 others deemed dilapidated.
He pointed out that over 150 wooden health clinics in Sabah have been classified as dilapidated, and efforts are underway to improve the working environment for Health Ministry staff and clients.
"For instance, at Klinik Kampung Takuli, the original 1,000 square-foot wooden structure has been replaced with a 2,600 square-foot concrete building, complete with staff quarters for single employees," he explained, noting that this design was proposed by the Sabah State Health Department and is being implemented nationwide.
When asked about his expectations for the 2025 Budget, Lukanisman expressed hope for increased allocations, particularly for salaries and medicine supplies.
"This budget will be crucial for development, and we expect significant increases for upgrading dilapidated clinics. This will help reduce the disparity in healthcare facilities between Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah and Sarawak," he added.
