Materia Medica Malaysiana

Support for haemodialysis centres

KUALA LUMPUR: As a cost-effective measure, the Health Ministry is looking into supporting haemodialysis centres run by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) rather than expanding its own facilities, said minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek.
He said it cost about RM10,000 annually to treat a patient at government haemodialysis centres compared with RM8,000 at NGO centres.
“Therefore, in the future, it may be more cost-effective for the Government to continue to support haemodialysis treatment at NGO centres.
“This would pave the way for more meaningful partnerships between the Government and NGOs and foster greater community participation in health and healthcare,” he said at the Nanyang Press Foundation Dialysis Centre at the Tung Shin Hospital charity dinner.
A total of RM1.3mil was raised at last night's dinner from donations of haemodialysis machines and sales of tables. An auction of Hong Kong actor-singer Andy Lau's calligraphy works raked in RM34,000.
At an earlier function, Dr Chua said a consulting firm would be appointed to work out payment rates for people who fall under the “affordable category” of the proposed National Healthcare Financing Scheme.
He said discussion on the payment rates were still in the initial stage and he hoped the consultant would be able to complete the task in the next six months.
“After the rates are fixed, we will discuss again. The scheme will be implemented as soon as it is ready,” he said upon being asked when the scheme would take effect.
The proposed National Health Financing Scheme is expected to be based on a community-rated national health insurance scheme, with cost- and risk-sharing across the population.