DPM Wants Health Ministry To Manage Medical Aid Fund

PUTRAJAYA, 26 Jan (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak wants the Health Ministry to continue to manage the Medical Aid Fund (MAF).
Health Minister Datuk Chua Soi Lek said this was expressed by the Deputy Prime Minister after listening to the explanation by the ministry on the alleged bureaucratic red-tapes which made it difficult for applicants to benefit from the fund.
Dr Chua said he met Najib on Jan 20 to clarify the matter.
"The Deputy Prime Minister accepted our explanation and he was satisfied with the procedures that were carried out. And he said that the Health Ministry, which has been entrusted to manage the fund, will continue to do the job," he told Bernama.
Dr Chua said the ministry had taken steps to reduce what were regarded by some quarters as bureaucratic red-tapes to the extent that it had been able to approve applications for assistance under the fund within 10 to 14 days, as was the case involving 416 patients who applied for it last year.
"But there were cases which we cannot approve and these were the ones which had been made the basis for the complaints lodged," he added.
Among the reasons for the applications not being approved, he said, was due to incomplete application forms that were submitted.
Dr Chua said the setting up of the fund reflected the government's concern for the poor and should not be politicised for any ulterior motives or agenda.
The controversy over MAF cropped-up following complaints by several individuals of difficulties in getting assistance from the fund so much so that some patients died.
Dr Chua said 416 patients received aid totalling RM6.6 million under the MAF last year.
He said the fund had been allocated RM100 million and that it had so far received RM25 million.
He also said there were certain conditions which applicants had to fulfil before their applications could be approved.
Among the conditions are that the applicant must be a Malaysian, from poor background which has to be verified by the Medical Social Workers or the Welfare Department, patients refered by government hospitals and the handicapped who are registered with the Welfare Department.
The application form could be obtained at all government hospitals, the Welfare Department and also at the MAF Secretariat at the Finance Ministry, Putrajaya.