Starting this year, the Health Ministry (MOH) has increased the number of trainee nurses from 1,000 to 2,000 as part of the effort to produce more registered nurses that meet industry needs, said Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni. He said the number of applications from Sabah youths has also increased, adding that the effort also aimed at raising the quota for male nurses, and encouraging the participation of various races in paramedic training. 'All these initiatives are aimed at encouraging more young people, especially Sabah youths, to participate in medical and health services in MOH and serve the people in this Land Below the Wind. 'The intakes for paramedic training from 2022 to 2024 showed that 65 per cent of the quota was filled by those in Peninsular Malaysia, 18 per cent in Sabah and 17 per cent in Sarawak. Therefore, efforts to attract more young people to undergo this training must continue to produce more nurses,' he told reporters after officiating today's Convocation Cerem ony for MOH Training Institute (ILKKM) 2024 for Sabah Zone. Lukanisman said the four-day ceremony that kicked off on Oct 5 in Sarawak celebrates 5,253 graduates of various programmes at ILKKM across the country, adding that 699 graduates from the Sabah zone ILKKM received their scrolls today. On another development, Lukanisman said the government allocated RM21.5 million to upgrade rural clinics in Sabah, Sarawak, and Peninsular Malaysia. 'Through this allocation, 21 rural clinics were demolished and rebuilt…the (new) clinics are very comfortable and provide larger working space for the staff,' he said. He mentioned that Sabah has 150 to 160 clinics, adding that the government allocated specific funding to implement 56 projects for dilapidated clinics, involving works such as roof replacements, electrical wiring replacements, and the addition of necessary structures. Source: BERNAMA News Agency