133,895 seniors benefit from Sarawak’s healthcare scheme

A TOTAL of 133,895 senior citizens have used Sarawak’s Senior Citizen Health Benefit (SCHB), with expenditure reaching RM137.5 million since its introduction in August 2024.

Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister, Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said the beneficiaries represented 57 per cent of the 234,318 seniors registered under the initiative as at September this year.

“Access to this benefit continues to expand, with the number of private panel clinics and hospitals increasing from 257 in April 2026 to 279 as at September 2026,” she said in her ministerial winding-up speech during the Budget State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting here today.

The SCHB initiative aims to widen healthcare access as Sarawak prepares for an ageing population.

Citing the Department of Statistics Malaysia’s Current Population Estimates 2025, Fatimah said people aged 60 and above accounted for an estimated 14 per cent of Sarawak’s population, one percentage point below the national ageing society benchmark of 15 per cent.

The state is also strengthening its elderly care workforce through the Elderly Caregiver Training Certificate Programme (TREC) at CENTEXS Dalat.

Since October 2023, 112 participants have joined the programme, with 55 completing their training and 48 securing jobs at elderly care centres.

Fatimah said the programme aimed to produce competent caregivers, improve graduates’ employability and meet workforce needs in the care sector.

Support for families and caregivers also included two basic elderly care courses in Kabong and Kanowit this year, involving 139 participants.

Assessments before and after the courses showed that 130 participants, or 93.5 per cent, improved their knowledge of ageing and elderly care management.

“Next year, three more sessions will be held through strategic collaboration with local non-governmental organisations and the Sarawak Health Department,” she said.