Materia Medica Malaysiana

Demonstrators Greet Health Minister On First Day In New Office

PUTRAJAYA, Dec 23 (Bernama) -- Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek moved into his new office, here Thursday, greeted by about 200 demonstrators protesting what they felt was a government move to privatise dispensaries in government hospitals.
Chua, whose new office is located in Parcel E here, met with seven representatives of the demonstrators comprising members of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to clarify the government's move on the matter.
The noisy protestors, carrying placards with slogans reading, among others, "The people's health is the government's responsibility", had gathered in front of the ministry building.
Speaking to reporters after his dialogue with the NGO representatives, Chua said the government had no plans to privatise hospital dispensaries but wanted to start private pharmacies in the Putrajaya and Selayang hospitals to enable those who could afford to buy their medicines.
However, the dispensing of medicines to those who could not afford to buy them would continue, he said.
According to him, the health delivery system was good but there were areas that could be improved so that the government and the poor were not unnecessarily burdened.
"I think what has happened is that there are attempts to politicise the issue by certain groups, especially the opposition," he said.
The issue came about after Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad said on Dec 10 that the government was proposing to stop issuing certain low-cost medicines for free and patients would have to buy them from medicine shops or private pharmacies.
On the "full-paying patient" concept, the minister said a detailed study on its mechanism was being carried out.
He said the concept, to be introduced at the Putrajaya and Selayang hospitals, was to prevent government hospital facilities from being abused by people in the higher income groups.
"For example, a patient who can well afford it, only has to pay RM3,000 for surgery as has been set now in government hospitals whereas he is capable of paying up to RM15,000," he said.
This will affect the chances of lower income groups from obtaining similar surgery or treatment," he added.