Baru, who is the MP for Selangau and state assemblyman for Ba’kelalan, gave his undertaking in response to a recent FMT article that referred to the story of Kam Agong, a woman from Long Semadoh in rural Sarawak. She bled to death in 2002 following a caesarean birth at the Lawas District Hospital. It was the health facility closest to Long Semadong, and it was five hours away.
Kam’s daughter, Agnes Padan, sued the hospital for negligence and won.
Baru has blood relations with Kam.
He told FMT his ministry had taken over the development of a second hospital in Lawas, which has been delayed because the contractor entrusted with the project couldn’t see it through. He said the project would most likely be opened for re-tendering by early next year.
He also spoke of a priority project to build a road from Miri straight to Long Semadoh through Baram to save villagers from complicated and oppressive journeys for medical and health care.
He added that he would push for the upgrade of rural clinics and also of equipment for district hospitals.
He agreed that Kam’s case highlighted the suffering that the rural folk of Sarawak and Sabah have to go through in order to avail themselves of basic needs such as healthcare.
Pregnant women from Long Semadoh are now taken to Miri hospital, about 10 hours away by four-wheel-drive. To make the trip, they have to cross Brunei twice. They also fork out large amounts of cash for a single round-trip to the hospital, where only 24 beds are available.
Baru took note of Agnes’ statement that voters should boot out their elected representatives if the situation didn’t improve.
“I agree that the government should be voted out if it doesn’t address these issues,” he said, but added that PH should be given a fair amount of time to fulfil its promises to East Malaysians.
“PH has pledged to remedy the situation. Unfortunately, we took over a government that was almost bankrupt. It’s sad to say that the Barisan Nasional government did not seriously treat Sarawak’s needs and concerns as priorities.”
Despite the problem with funding, he said, the government was proceeding with critical projects in healthcare expansion.
He added that he was in full support of a proposal for the decentralisation of healthcare management.
“That’s one of the proposals in our manifesto, which also highlights education and infrastructure,” he said. “But the problem is that Sarawak is under Gabungan Parti Sarawak, which doesn’t seem to agree with our ideas.”