Conducting mass elective surgery an uphill task, says MMA

Star: PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has welcomed the Government's initiative to reduce the backlog of elective surgery cases but said ensuring its success may prove difficult.
One of the main challenges is to gather so many surgeons from the various disciplines together at one time.
“While it may not be a problem to get anaesthetists, it will be difficult to get the surgeons,” said its president Dr Mary Suma Cardosa.
Although it was a good idea, she said, a lot of preparation was needed before such an exercise could be implemented.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai announced yesterday that the Government would embark on a nationwide “Health Carnival” to reduce the backlog of cases at public hospitals and cut the waiting time from the current average of 32 weeks to 12 weeks.
He said the ministry would pool available surgeons and anaesthetists in the country to conduct mass elective surgery, which would begin next month in Sarawak.
Dr Cardosa said it would be more practical to address only selected elective surgery cases.
“It would also be better to do simpler procedures like cataract surgery which does not need as much postoperative care,” she said yesterday.
Dr Cardosa added that the waiting time for patients requiring elective surgery varied according to the type of procedure. “Cancer surgery is usually given priority over other types,” she said, adding that it also depended on the skills required.
A heart patient from Seremban, Jagadeeswaran Muthu, 51, said he had been put on the waiting list for four months for a heart procedure despite suffering from pains due to complications from a previous surgery in August.
“I can't afford to go to a private hospital so I do not have much choice but to wait,” said Jagadeeswaran, adding that he had lost his job as a driver due to his condition.
He welcomed the Government's initiative to shorten the waiting time for elective surgeries saying that it would benefit many others like himself.