Insufficient medical social work officers in Sabah hospitals

28 August 2024

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah currently has only 28 Medical Social Work Officers (MSWOs) serving in 24 hospitals across the state, including state hospitals, major and minor specialist hospitals, non-specialist hospitals, and institutional hospitals.

The Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor, stated that this number is insufficient to address the issues faced by patients who require further intervention to achieve optimal social functioning.

He mentioned that Sabah is a large state, and accessibility to health services for those living in rural areas faces several obstacles due to geographic factors, transportation facilities, and the socio-economic conditions of families.

"There are only 28 MSWOs available to handle cases referred for psychosocial and financial assistance for purchasing equipment to meet treatment needs; certainly, this number is inadequate," he said during the opening of the 27th Malaysian Medical Social Work Officers Conference at the 7 Suria Hotel Ballroom on Wednesday.

His speech was read by the State Minister of Finance, Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun.

Hajiji noted that medical costs are currently rising, which significantly impacts the public's ability to access health care.

He added that, due to economic challenges, the number of patients seeking treatment at government hospitals has increased, further adding to the challenges for health workers to provide effective and comprehensive services.

In this regard, he stated that medical social work services are crucial to meet the increasingly complex and dynamic needs of patients, in line with the country's health reform aspirations for a fair and people-centered health system.

As such, MSWOs play a role in building cooperative networks with government and private agencies that provide resources to assist poor and underprivileged patients during their treatment or recovery.

They also help patients (clients) achieve better health through a high-quality service delivery system.

"Patients in this state face additional challenges when seeking treatment at hospitals, institutions, and health clinics due to the state's demographic issues and the distance from their homes in rural areas. Therefore, MSWOs need to utilize the latest technology in line with current developments to provide services to patients.

"Lessons must be learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. Although face-to-face interaction with patients was not possible, services continued through modern technology methods such as virtual consultations to ensure the health and welfare of patients are maintained, especially for those who cannot attend follow-up consultation sessions at treatment facilities," he said.

Hajiji hopes that MSWOs will remain committed to exploring new resources to meet patients' needs holistically in the process of transforming health service delivery for all levels of society.

He also expressed hope that the 27th Malaysian MSWO Conference, themed ‘Living in Harmony: Transforming Our Future Together,’ will yield results that benefit not only MSWOs but also the people of Sabah as a whole.

"To all MSWOs, continue your momentum and professional efforts to provide the best services to all patients, especially those who are less fortunate."