1Malaysia mobile clinics to serve remote areas

Star: KUALA LUMPUR: After the success of the 1Malaysia clinic, the Government now plans to launch 1Malaysia mobile clinics as part of its continuous efforts to provide quality and affordable healthcare services to the people.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the mobile clinics, which would use buses fitted with facilities for medical treatment and equipped for minor surgeries, would serve remote areas with limited access to clinics.
“I believe with the launch of the mobile clinics, more people living in the rural areas, traditional kampung, estates and new villages can have access to better and quality healthcare,” he said at the Malaysian Medical Association’s 50th anniversary dinner here last night.
Besides this, the Government also planned to open more 1Malaysia clinics under the 10th Malaysia Plan, following the increasing popularity of these clinics among the people.
Najib also said the Government would provide better healthcare services for the urban poor, especially since 70% of the country’s population lived in towns and cities.
“Those living in the metropolitan areas, especially the urban poor should not be denied access to quality healthcare services,” he said.
He also said that although the Government was putting greater emphasis on health tourism, the healthcare and medical needs of Malaysians would not be neglected.
The Government, he said had set the target of achieving a ratio of one doctor to 600 people by 2015 from the current ratio of one doctor to 900 people.