KUCHING — Sarawak must develop a comprehensive health ecosystem that spans medical services, research, manufacturing, and a skilled workforce to achieve global competitiveness in the healthcare industry, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Professor Dr Sim Kui Hian.
Speaking to reporters after officiating the 5th International Burn and Wound Conference (IBW) on Friday, Dr Sim stressed that the state must not only focus on medical services but also aim to dominate the entire healthcare value chain — from research to production and international marketing.
“We are looking at the whole spectrum, not just hospitals. We want to conduct research, especially on compounds found here that are key to regenerative medicine,” he said. “In wound healing, for instance, skin doesn’t regrow without a regenerative process. That’s why we need both research and factories to produce the necessary treatments.”
In line with this vision, Dr Sim, who also serves as the Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government, announced that an American company specialising in collagen-based wound management will invest between USD20 million and USD40 million to set up a manufacturing facility in Kuching. The plant will produce advanced collagen products used for tissue healing and burn treatment, positioning Sarawak as a player in the global medical supply chain.
Dr Sim highlighted that this collaboration reflects growing international confidence in Sarawak’s potential as a biomedical innovation hub. “Not only Sarawak but the whole world will benefit,” he noted.
The IBW 2025 conference brought together medical professionals and experts in wound care and reconstructive surgery. Among the attendees were Sarawak General Hospital (HUS) Plastic Surgery and Reconstructive Specialist and IBW Chair Dr Ding Chu Yeh; HUS Director Dr Ngian Hie Ung; National Head of Plastic Surgery Specialty Dr Mohammad Ali Mat Zain; State Clinical Expert and HUS Plastic Surgery Head Dr Daphne Dewi Stephen Kalong; Chairman of the Plastic Surgery and Reconstructive Association of Malaysia Dr Shah Jumaat Mohd Yussof; and Business Events Sarawak General Manager of Business Development and Marketing Jason Tan Chin Foo.
The initiative marks a strategic move by Sarawak to enhance its healthcare capabilities while fostering innovation, self-reliance, and international partnerships in high-tech medicine.
