Kota Kinabalu: The Ministry of Health should allow Sabah nurses to serve in the State instead of transferring them to address shortages in peninsula or Sarawak as almost 1,000 vacancies in the State have yet to be filled.
State Minister of Community Development and People’s Well-being Sabah, Datuk James Ratib, said Sabah needs them more for hospitals and clinics in the state.
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He likened nurses to be the “backbone” of the country’s health system with the skills and expertise gained through training and experience making them indispensable.
“As Sabah State Health Exco, I request the Ministry not to transfer them outside the state,” he said. According to State Health Department statistics, there are 11,245 in Sabah (Staff level); 10,286 people (filling) and 959 unfilled vacancies.
“In fact, we have been requesting that the 959 vacancies be filled by any Trained Nurse who is still unemployed in Sabah.
“This includes employees under MySTEP to be considered for absorption into permanent positions at the Ministry of Health,” he said.
James said some of these nurses who do not even have proper accommodation or quarters. “In my visits to hospitals and rural clinics throughout Sabah, I found this to be the situation. I am very sympathetic to their situation as they are part of the frontline workers.
“The Ministry should look at this as a basic need that should be enjoyed by nurses especially in rural areas,” James, who is also Sugut Assemblyman, said when officiating the 74th Malaysian Nurses Association meeting dinner at SICC, Friday.
James also said he found out that Community Nurses (Midwives) who continued their courses at ILKKM had to deal with salary issues when they were appointed as new nurses.
“Their salary is much lower than being a Community Nurse. The Ministry should make a salary adjustment because they also have responsibilities or commitments such as car and house loans,” he said.
Besides, he said, the staffing grades in Sabah should not be brought to the peninsula or other states but retained in this state.
“For example, like grades 52, 54, 48, 44, I ask they not be drawn to the peninsula, keep them in Sabah. If there is an officer who moves to the peninsula, just move.
“Sometimes the grades of staff who are already valid are brought to the peninsula, causing our grades in Sabah to decrease,” he lamented.
“This ceremony, among other things, was to celebrate not only the professional achievements of nurses but also their unwavering dedication.
“I was informed this is the largest gathering of the Malaysian Nurses Association, with 1,300 from all over Malaysia. It is also the first time in Sabah and organised together with the Malaysian Nurses Association Sabah branch.
