IPOH, The Perak government views the care economy as a viable new source of revenue for the state, said Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad. He said this aligns with the Perak Sejahtera 2030 Plan, which emphasises the empowerment of human capital and lifelong learning, a key aspect of which is ensuring that the skills and competencies of medical practitioners remain relevant, up-to-date, and responsive to both domestic and global health crises. 'However, the challenges in delivering services, including anesthesiology to patients, are rapidly evolving with time,' he said at the opening of the Third National Anaesthesia and Critical Care Conference for Nurses and Assistant Medical Officers 2024, organised by the Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital, Ipoh, today. His speech was delivered by the State Human Resources, Health, and Indian Community Affairs Committee chairman, A. Sivanesan. Saarani added that anesthesiology and critical care services are fi elds that require a high level of academic knowledge and expertise. Saarani stated that achieving such standards and the quality of training provided by the Ministry of Health have gained Malaysia international recognition. He added that efforts to improve service quality standards are being jointly undertaken by the Malaysian Nursing Board and the Assistant Medical Officers Services Branch through the publication of the Standard Practice Guidelines, which aim to coordinate the quality of services provided in patient care. 'I am very proud of the evolving professionalism among nurses and assistant medical officers, especially in the fields of anesthesiology and critical care. "From initially providing basic patient care, they have now advanced to delivering care and treatment based on evidence-based practice and standard practice guidelines, in line with the growing demand for services that prioritise quality, efficiency, and competency. "Nurses and assistant medical officers must also adapt to the use o f high-tech medical devices," he said. Source: BERNAMA News Agency