04-07-2025
Sarawak healthcare must move beyond clinical service, medical tourism, says Dr Sim
Dr Sim examines a device at a booth set up for the conference. – Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING (July 4): Healthcare in Sarawak must move beyond clinical service and medical tourism to encompass research, manufacturing, and innovation, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian.
The Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government said Sarawak is building a full medical ecosystem that includes hospital services, research, and high-tech medical manufacturing — especially in burn and wound care.
'Service is important — don't get me wrong. But service alone is not enough. You must do research. Even if the idea seems small, even if it comes from the Jungle of Borneo, it's still an idea — and it matters,' he said in his opening speech at the 5th International Burn and Wound Conference 2025 here today.
He urged nurses, paramedics, and doctors in Sarawak to actively contribute to research efforts to improve the standard of care, particularly in burn and wound management.
'Whether you're a nurse, paramedic, or doctor, you must understand that research is just as important as clinical work. And if the opportunity comes, we must seize it,' he said.
Speaking to reporters later, Dr Sim said burn injuries remain a critical and life-altering issue in Sarawak, particularly due to industrial explosions and house fires.
'Burns are not only life-threatening but also life-altering. After a burn injury, patients require extensive rehabilitation due to complications like skin contractures — it's a very long journey.
'And whether we like it or not, burns will always be a risk — whether from house fires or, in our case, incidents in the oil and gas and chemical industries,' he said.
He stressed the importance of staying up to date with the latest technology and best practices in burn and wound care, adding that the conference was a platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration.
On wound care, Dr Sim said the issue was even more pressing in Sarawak due to the high rate of diabetes-related complications.
'Almost every week, there is someone in Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) who has a leg amputated because of diabetic ulcers that cannot heal. The infection becomes so serious it threatens the whole body, so they have to amputate,' he said.
This creates not only medical but also social challenges, he said, such as mental health issues and the need for prosthetics.
'Wound healing is a very big market. Unfortunately, Sarawak, like the rest of Malaysia and the world, has a very high prevalence of diabetes — nearly 20 per cent.'
Dr Sim pointed to Sarawak's growing role in clinical research, particularly at SGH.
'Sarawak is a very important place for clinical research. Between 2013 and last year, the industry brought in RM1 billion in business,' he said.
'How many people have run a billion-ringgit business over 10 years? And this is just the beginning.'
He pointed out that research is a sustainable industry.
'If you build infrastructure — how many Pan Borneos are you going to build? How many coastal highways are you going to build? But with research, you constantly need new drugs, new viruses — it never stops,' he said.
He said this long-term vision was the rationale behind setting up the Sarawak Infectious Disease Centre and other research-focused initiatives.
'We want the full spectrum — not just service and medical tourism, but research and manufacturing. This is the whole medical set we need to build.' Dr Sim Kui Hian healthcare lead medical ecosystem
