Prepare Full Reports, NGO-Run Dialysis Centres Told

SEREMBAN, Aug 9 (Bernama) -- Non-governmental organisation-run haemodialysis centres receiving treatment subsidies from the government have been asked to prepare a full and latest report to improve their services to the people.
Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said the reports should have details of their financial status and treatment programmes offered to kidney patients.
He said ministry officers would also conduct audit on the centres.
"This is because we found NGOs and privately-run centres have numerous weaknesses such as space constraints, unsatisfactory staff-patient ratio 1:10 compared to 1:6 stipulated by the ministry.
"In terms of qualifications and skills, some of the staff are not trained and their qualifications are questionable. There are centres which do not segregate machines used for Hepatitis B and C patients while some do not have adequate haemodialysis machines," he said.
Chua was speaking to reporters after the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Health Ministry and nine central zone NGO haemodialysis centres to subsidise haemodialysis treatment costs, here Tuesday.
Under the MoU, the government subsidises RM50 for thrice a week kidney dialysis for a patient which works out to RM7,800 per patient a year.
The MoU is one of the means for the Health Ministry to monitor the services provided at haemodialysis centres with certain standards.
Dr Chua also said all NGO-run haemodialysis centres have been asked to conduct blood tests on their patients once in three to six months to determine their current health condition and quarantine them if necessary.
"We also want to ensure the NGO haemodialysis centres do not discriminate by being selective in accepting patients. They must treat all races so long they're eligible like they're Malaysian citizens, poor, not paid by any employer and not civil servants," he said.
To provide better services, he said, the ministry offered three to six months training to administrators of haemodialysis centres.
There are 320 haemodialysis centres nationwide, including 112 owned by government, 93 by NGOs and 115 privately-run.
There are 12,000 kidney patients who need haemodialysis of whom 40 per cent of them undergo dialysis at government hospitals, 35 per cent in NGO haemodialysis centres and 25 per cent in private haemodialysis centres.
With 52 subsidised haemodialysis centres in 2001, the number swelled to 76 up to May this year.
Government aid to NGO haemodialysis centres increased to RM15.6 million last year compared to RM6 million in 2001.