KUCHING: Sarawak needs to establish a complete healthcare ecosystem, covering quality services, medical manufacturing, research and sufficient manpower.

Sarawak Deputy Premier, Datuk Amar Professor Dr. Sim Kui Hian said this move will allow Sarawak to not only be involved in services such as medical tourism, but also to master the entire spectrum from research, production, to marketing of medical products globally.

“For us, these services are important which include hospitals and health related matters.

“Then, we conduct research because we have certain compounds that have the potential to form a new branch in the field of medicine called regenerative medicine.

“This is because in the wound healing process, skin will not just grow on the wound, it requires a regenerative process and after that we need a factory to produce this product, so not only Sarawak benefits, but the whole world,” he said.

He said this when met by reporters after concluding the 5th International Burn and Wound Conference (IBW) held at a hotel here on Friday.

Following this, Datuk Amar Dr Sim, who is also the Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government, revealed that a company from the United States will set up a collagen production factory here for the use of wound treatment and tissue healing.

“Recently, a company from the United States involved in wound management and collagen production met with the Sarawak Premier and also met with me.

“They will set up a factory in Sarawak for the production of this high-tech collagen,” he explained.

Further elaborating on the matter, he explained that the investment value involved would involve between USD20 million and USD40 million, with the factory to be developed in Kuching.

Also present were IBW Chairman and Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, Dr. Ding Chu Yeh, SGH Director, Dr. Ngian Hie Ung, Head of National Expertise in Plastic Surgery, Dr. Mohammad Ali Mat Zain, State Chief Clinical Specialist and Head of the SGH Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department, Dr. Daphne Dewi Stephen Kalong, Chairman of the Malaysian Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Association, Dr. Shah Jumaat Mohd Yussof and General Manager of Business Development and Marketing of Business Events Sarawak, Jason Tan Chin Foo. -UKASnews