Health plan to be modelled after Socso

Star: KUALA KANGSAR: The proposed National Health Financing Scheme (NHFS) is likely to be modelled after the EPF and Socso schemes in which “eligible” employees make monthly payments through a deduction from the salary.
An expert was now determining the category of people who would be required to make contributions, Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said.
“Will it be those earning RM3,000 or RM5,000 monthly who will be designated as people who can afford to pay? The details are being determined by the expert, who will study all the implications.”
He stressed that not all Malaysians need to pay for medical expenses, as the scheme was not a privatisation move.
Speaking to reporters yesterday after visiting Kuala Kangsar Hospital, Chua said he did not know how some non-governmental organisations, which had criticised the scheme, had gotten the idea that it would take off next year.
“The scheme is still being discussed. Who says it will be carried out in 2006?” he asked.
Defending the scheme, Dr Chua said it was high time that the existing healthcare system provided at government hospitals be revamped as it was being abused by those who could actually afford to pay for their medical expenses.
“There is no other system in the world like what we have here in Malaysia, where a patient just pays RM1,” he said.
A group called the Coalition Against Healthcare Privatisation had noted that the Government had yet to reveal details like the quantum of payment, although the scheme would cover everyone (except civil servants, the disabled and the poor).
Earlier, addressing doctors, nurses and staff of the hospital, Dr Chua said the Government's healthcare expenditure was expected to rise to RM10bil by 2010.
“We can’t go on with the present system as it won’t be sustainable,” he said, adding that medicines alone had cost the Government RM800mil this year compared with RM300mil about 10 years ago.

Adeeba to become new president of AIDS Council

The Star - KUALA LUMPUR: Although she knows that she is stepping into “very, very big shoes” when she takes over as president of the Malaysian AIDS Council, Prof Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman knows that she can take on the job.
“It is an honour and I hope I can do justice to the seat. I recognise that there is a lot I can contribute. I was surprised about the appointment although Marina had ‘warned’ me about it,” she told The Star in an interview recently.
Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir will step down as council president on Jan 1.
Her position as Malaysian AIDS Foundation chairman, which she has also vacated, has not been filled yet.
Dr Adeeba, who is head of the infectious diseases unit at the University Malaya Medical Centre, also heads the Malaysian Harm Reduction Working Group which advocates evidence-based public health policies on HIV prevention and treatment and care for drug users.
In addition, she chairs the Therapeutics Research, Education and AIDS Training in Asia steering committee – a network of clinics, hospitals, and research institutions working to ensure the safe and effective delivery of HIV/AIDS treatments in the Asia-Pacific region via research, education and training programmes.
Dr Adeeba obtained her medical degree from Monash University in Australia and trained in internal medicine at the Monash Medical Centre.
She then took up sub-speciality training in infectious diseases at the Fairfield Infectious Diseases Hospital and Austin Hospital in Melbourne.
She obtained her fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians in 1995.
She returned to Malaysia in 1996 to become a lecturer on general medicine and infectious diseases in Universiti Malaya and set up one of the first infectious diseases units in Malaysia.
Dr Adeeba is married to banker Umar Swift and they have two sons – Luqman, eight, and Karim, six.

Group demands details on national health scheme

SunNSurf:PETALING JAYA: Fearful that the proposed National Health Financing Scheme will be forced down the people's throat, a lobby group wants full details and consultation before implementation.
The Coalition Against Health Care Privatisation said until today, details like the quantum of payment and the extent of coverage are still under wraps.
Chairman of the group's steering committee, Dr Subramaniam Pillay, said the Health Ministry has not outlined the mechanics of the proposed scheme, expected to come into force next year.
Under the scheme, everyone, except civil servants, the disabled, hardcore poor and the unemployed will have to pay full fees for medical treatment at government hospitals.
Subramaniam said the proposed scheme comprises seven main components:
* National Health Fund -- to disburse payments for medical treatment provided by government and private hospitals and clinics for illnesses listed under the "Essential Health Benefit Package".
* Mandatory monthly contributions -- paid by every wage earner, except government employees, pensioners, the poor and handicapped.
* Essential health benefit packages -- illnesses covered but no details yet.
* Restructured government hospitals and clinics -- no details yet.
* Private sector healthcare -- the National Health Fund will also make payments for visits to general practitioners, but Ministry of Health has yet to decide whether payments will be on a fee-for-service or on a capitation basis.
* Private insurance for extra coverage -- those who can afford can buy additional insurance coverage for treatment of conditions not in the Essential Health Benefit Package.
* The National Health Financing Authority -- a new body set up to oversee the overall administration and evaluation of the new healthcare system.
Subramaniam said a foreign consultant has been appointed to look into details, such as the quantum, criteria and ceiling of contributions, the collection mechanism, the basic health packages and the payment mechanism for the clinics and hospitals.
He said however the identity of the person is kept a secret. "Why is this so?"
He said there needs to be transparency is this issue, as the public has to start paying for basic medical services once the scheme comes into effect. For more on the issue, log on to www.aliran.com/health/.

Ministry To Proceed With No-Smoking Campaign

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 13 (Bernama) -- The Health Ministry will continue with its "Tak Nak"" smoking campaign despite it failing to discourage the public, especially youngsters, from the habit.
Parliamentary secretary Lee Kah Choon said the ministry would continue with the campaign through the media and education programmes in schools.
Education was the most suitable way to instil awareness among youngsters of the dangers of smoking, he said in reply to senator Hassan Shukri on the no-smoking campaign in the Dewan Negara, Tuesday.
Lee said there was an increase in cigarette smokers among youngsters and women.
"Women smokers increased to eight per cent from four per cent previously," he added.

EAS Leaders To Pledge To Prevent Avian Flu Pandemic

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 13 (Bernama) -- Concerned over the spread of the deadly avian flu virus, leaders of the 16 countries attending the inaugural East Asia Summit here on Wednesday are likely to pledge to join forces and possibly prevent the occurrence of a regional or, possibly, global pandemic.
To this end, they would take steps to enhance capacity-building in coping with a pandemic avian influenza, including establishing information-sharing protocols among countries and multilateral organisations.
Asean diplomats preparing for the EAS tomorrow said the move would be aimed at ensuring effective, timely and meaningful communication before or during a pandemic of the avian influenza, which so far has killed more than 70 people in Asia.
Their concern and pledge to do something about the disease were expected to be contained in a declaration to be issued following the summit relating to the prevention, control and response to the disease.
The EAS would be attended by the 10 Asean states, China, Japan and South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand.
Countries affected by avian flu include Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, China, Japan, South Korea and Malaysia.
The latter three have announced control of their poultry outbreaks and are now considered free of the disease while in the other countries outbreaks are continuing with varying degrees of severity.
India was also not spared the disease while Russia, whose president Vladimir Putin would address the EAS leaders before their retreat, reported its first outbreak in July this year.
The leaders are also expected to establish national and regional avian flu pandemic preparedness strategies and clearly defined work plans and resource requirements.
However, the declaration is expected to highlight that strong political will was crucial to carry out these strategies.
They would also agree to set up a network of stockpiles of antiviral drugs with the technical support of the World Health Organisation to effectively prevent a pandemic.

Perak Spends 90 Pct Health Ministry's Allocation Under 8MP

IPOH, Dec 13 (Bernama) -- Perak had shown the best performance in the Health Ministry's development project when it utilised 90 per cent of its Eighth Malaysia Plan (8MP) allocation.
Health Minister Datuk Chua Soi Lek said, till this year Perak had spent RM359 million worth of funds allocated for it.
"This means that 112 projects have been completed, 24 still ongoing and only 29 projects would be carried forward to the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP)," he told reporters at a dinner function at Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali's residence Monday night.
Dr Chua attributed the excellent achievement to the good cooperation and support from the state government.
"Throughout the 8MP, a total 240 hectares of titled lands in Perak have been given to the Health Ministry with a premium rate of RM8 million only," he said.
The low premium rate had been the factor why the projects in Perak were able to be implemented smoothly, he said.
"We are confident that with continuous cooperation from the state government, the projects under the 9MP would go smoothly as well."
A total of RM559 million worth of projects have been approved under the 9MP for Perak, among others are the Federal Health College in Ipoh costing RM120 million, Lintang Health Clinic (RM21 million) and three health clinics in Larut, Matang and Selama districts costing a total of RM36 million.
Also being planned are the upgrading of Parit Buntar and Kampar hospitals and the construction of Seri Iskandar Hospital, he added.

Malaysia moots KL for WHO bird flu centre

Star: KUALA LUMPUR: Concerned with the spread of avian flu, Malaysia wants to set up a regional World Health Organisation (WHO) Collaborating Centre for the disease here, with the support of its Asean counterparts.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said since the existing WHO reference centres for human flu were located outside the Asean region, the one on avian flu should be set up in the region.
He said Malaysia had expressed this intention at the WHO meeting on avian flu in Geneva last month.
“With both alert systems for animal and human flu in one country, it will greatly enhance the early warning mechanism for influenza surveillance in the region.
“It will be Malaysia’s contribution towards global health security,” the Prime Minister said in his opening remarks at the 11th Asean Summit yesterday.
Meanwhile, it is understood that a draft joint declaration by Asean and East Asia Summit (EAS) leaders on avian flu seeks to co-operate in providing rapid, transparent, and accurate risk communication among the participating countries.
It also calls for improving national policies for the prevention and control of emerging infectious diseases and support to all participating nations.

Marina to quit as AIDS chief

Star: KUALA LUMPUR: After more than a decade at the helm of the Malaysian AIDS Council and being at the forefront of the crusade to promote safe sex and change public prejudices against HIV+ people, Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir is calling it a day.
Marina will step down as council president on Jan 1.
“I feel it is high time that I relinquish the post and all the obligations that come with it. But I am not leaving the AIDS field. It’s just that I will get to choose which areas to go into. For the past 12 years, I have been talking about every single aspect including science, politics, economics and women. Now I will concentrate on gender and Islam.”
Marina will also quit her post as chairman of the Malaysian AIDS Foundation, a position she took on in 1993, but will still be coordinating next year’s Red Ribbon Gala.
“It is time to refocus. And the little one is growing up so fast,” she said referring to her youngest daughter Shaista who begins Year One next year.
Eldest daughter Ineza, 18, plans to continue her studies in Melbourne, while son Haga, 17, is studying in Jakarta. Marina is married to professional photographer Tara Sosrowardoyo.
Asked if the work to stem the spread of HIV/AIDS in Malaysia would be affected by her stepping down, Marina said: “I will always, always be linked to it but the problem is too big to be associated with one individual. I want people to support the cause not because of me but because it is an important issue.”
She said that it took her a long while to realise that people do recognise her on the streets.
“I always thought that I have an ordinary face and I blend in with people.”
She related the story of how, when shopping with a friend in Singapore, a man from two aisles away shouted at her: “Aren’t you Marina Mahathir?”
“I just said no!” she said.
In the course of her work to promote safe sex, she had to put up with brickbats. For example, a person remarked that she should be shot because she advocated condom usage, and therefore “immorality”.
“Someone in a mosque said it after a ceramah on social ills. And what upset me more was that the person who related the incident mentioned it in front of my mother. And I do not like her getting upset,” said the daughter of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali.
Apart from continuing her work in the HIV/AIDS field, which will also see her speak at Princeton University next year and being the liaison person for the International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP), Marina is helping her father with his memoirs, planning new directions for the award-winning TV3 women’s programme 3R as executive producer, and looking for movie scripts after Gol&Gincu in which she was co-executive producer.
Marina also operates her own public relations and publishing firm called Mosaique Communications, and writes the fortnightly Musings column in The Star.
“It has been an adventure working on AIDS issues, an enriching experience and I do not wish for life to be any different. It has changed me and made me a better person. It enabled me to see a side of life I would not have seen coming from a protected, middle-class family,” she said.
Her proudest moment, she said, was organising the 5th ICAAP here in 1999 because it had gone on so well and saw issues such as compulsory licensing and advocacy talked about besides changing public view and perception of HIV/ AIDS.
Marina said the most important change to take place in Malaysia was the decision to implement the harm reduction programme, which she describes as “landmark”.
“My greatest frustration is that 12 years later, there are still people talking about isolating people with HIV/AIDS or having mandatory testing as if that is the answer to the problem. And while the public is aware of AIDS, they still think it will not happen to them. And Malaysians do not want to take responsibility for themselves,” she added.

Flu outbreak drill

NST: Is Malaysia prepared for a flu pandemic? The answer will be known when a simulation exercise involving almost the whole nation gets under way early next year.
The main players in the National Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Plan exercise will be the army, police, all ministries and government departments, the private sector and non-governmental organisations.
As part of its effort to ensure the country is able to tackle such a pandemic, the Health Ministry has trained 22,000 of its staff to provide treatment and care.
According to director-general of health Datuk Dr Ismail Merican, more staff are being trained to handle emergencies during a pandemic.
He said most state hospitals were equipped with negative-pressure isolation rooms and selected district hospitals would be fitted with them soon.
Dr Ismail said the Government had formed three committees to work out a plan and the logistics to ensure the country was fully prepared, namely:

• the inter-ministerial Committee chaired by Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek;
• the National Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Plan Committee chaired by Dr Ismail; and,
• a technical committee chaired by deputy director-general (public health) Datuk Dr Shafie Ooyub.

These committees will be co-ordinating all efforts to handle a pandemic.
The committees were established and the simulation exercise was planned in the wake of fears that the bird flu virus could mutate into a virus that could spread from human to human.
Dr Ismail said: "I have held talks with state health directors and state executive councillors to inform them of what we have done, plan to do and what we would like them to do."
Dr Ismail said the ministry had submitted a memorandum to the Cabinet seeking money to, among others, increase resources to train people, buy protective equipment, and stockpile anti-viral drugs.
He said Australia, which will hold a simulation exercise soon, would share its experience and offer feedback.

Asean Mulls Stockpiling Medicines, Cooperation On Energy

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 12 (Bernama) -- Asean leaders are considering stockpiling medicines to be made available to member countries in fighting outbreak of diseases, says Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
He said Monday that the leaders also expressed interest in energy cooperation, including tapping the expertise of countries like Japan which were advanced in energy conservation and efficiency.
On the medicine stockpiling initiative, Abdullah said such a move was needed to ensure that Asean nations were always prepared to face the outbreak of diseases like avian influenza and SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome).
"We are considering the possibility of setting up some kind of a stockpile of medicines that can be available to any country within our region that may be affected by any kind of diseases like the bird flu," he said.
He said this at a press conference held at the end of the 11th Asean Summit, which was attended by the regional leaders, at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre here.
"We never know when diseases will strike us but we have to be always in a state of preparedness," said Abdullah who chaired the summit.
He said the leaders also expressed their intention to cooperate closely in combating diseases, including by enhancing information exchange.
"We intend to meet and decide on the course of action whenever necessary, especially in tackling a disease like the bird flu," he added.
On energy cooperation, Abdullah said Asean countries were also looking at developing alternative energy, especially biofuel.
"We are rich in resources that can be converted into biofuel," he said.
Nevertheless, he added, developing countries would need a lot of capital investment and technology for this endeavour.

Mara Takes Over Perak Royal Medical College

IPOH, Dec 12 (Bernama) -- Mara has taken over the Perak Royal Medical College since last year, State Education, Human Resource Development and Multimedia Committee Chairman Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said Monday.
He said the take-over involved Mara buying 75 per cent of the equity in P.C.M. Sdn Bhd, the company which managed the college.
Replying to a question from Mohamed Tarmizi Idris (BN-Kenering) in the state assembly, he said the take-over also involved the condition that the college be placed under Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL).
Zambry said the state government had recouped its investment in the college and still held 25 per cent equity in PCM Sdn Bhd.
The college has 591 students studying pharmacy and nursing.

NGOs: Details of scheme sketchy

NST: The National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme is to take off next year but, according to an alliance of 82 non-governmental organisations, hardly anyone is clear about how it will work and its potential impact on the insured.
Claiming that details from the Health Ministry have been sketchy, they said the NHI had caused much confusion.
Calling themselves the Coalition Against Health Care Privatisation Malaysia, more than 100 representatives of the 82 organisations gathered at a forum today to discuss the matter.
Coalition chairman Dr Subramaniam Pillay, a retired lecturer from Universiti Sains Malaysia, said: "We have met Health Ministry officials and even written to Health Ministry director-general Datuk Dr Ismail Merican asking for details, but they say they cannot provide answers until their consultant briefs them."
When the NHI takes effect next year, most Malaysians will have to make mandatory contributions for healthcare. Those exempted will include the one million civil servants, about 200,000 disabled, 1.8 million elderly citizens, 435,000 pensioners, and 250,000 hardcore poor.
The Health Ministry is also in the midst of identifying groups in the private sector exempted from payment.
In May, the Health Ministry’s planning and development division evaluation and plan formulation unit head, Dr Rohaizat Yon, said a consultant had been appointed to identify scheme details such as the quantum of payment, the criteria for contributions, the collection mechanism, the nature of basic health packages, and how the ministry would pay clinics and hospitals.
Former Health Ministry director-general Tan Sri Dr Abdul Khalid Sahan delivered the keynote address at the forum entitled, "Health Financing Reform: Should We Be Concerned?" at Universiti Malaya.
Among the issues raised at the forum were how the money would be used, the rights of individuals to be treated regardless of whether or not they had deposits, and whether the NHI would be redundant given the availability of private healthcare insurance.
"Would the money be managed in an accountable manner? That is our concern," Subramaniam said.
He asked why employers were exempted from paying for their employees when government servants had the privilege of not contributing to the scheme.
Women Development Collective executive director Maria Chin Abdullah said the Government should clearly explain the framework of the scheme to the public.
Malaysian Trades Union Congress president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud said the public had a right to know exactly how the system worked and how much to pay.

Biotech courses most popular

NST: Biotechnology and biomedicine are the most popular courses after medicine among Malaysians seeking to study in the National University of Singapore.
Business and engineering courses were also among their top choices, said NUS admissions officer Juliet Ho at the Facon Education Fair today.
That accorded with the experience of other universities’ recruitment officers and the fair’s organisers.
School-leavers at the fair were applying for degrees in medicine, biotechnology and biomedical sciences, said Stephanie Hah, senior marketing manager of Monash University.
Pharmacy was a course that many school-leavers were considering, said Deva Guru, marketing and recruitment officer of University Nottingham campus in Malaysia.
"All serious enquiries were for courses such as pharmacy, engineering, business and computer science," he said.
Wong Yoke Lin, executive director of Facon Exhibitions Sdn Bhd, said most SPM and STPM school-leavers were going for medicine, engineering and biotechnology courses.
"We also received positive feedback from the participants of the careers in human resource development seminars.
"We had at least 20 to 30 students per session," she said.
The two-day fair concluded today, attracting at least 41,000 students.
Wong said at least 16,000 students attended the fair yesterday and about 25,000 today.

Medical campus: Team in Ireland

NST: A Malaysian fact-finding team is in Ireland to explore the viability of an Irish medical campus here.
It will also study options for Malaysian doctors to do their postgraduate courses and training in Ireland.
Members will also gather information on why many Malaysian scholars preferred to stay behind and not return to serve the nation.
The nine-member team, headed by Universiti Malaya Faculty of Medicine dean Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Amin Jalaludin, left on Sunday.
Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Fu Ah Kiow said the Irish had expressed an interest in setting up a medical campus besides doing research here.
"The team has gone to explore the opportunities and gather information from the universities concerned."
On Malaysians doing postgraduate courses in Ireland, he said the team would look at what some of the medical institutions there were offering.
The NST highlighted on Nov 6 that as many as 100 Malaysians trained in Ireland as doctors at a cost of between RM60 million and RM100 million had turned their backs on the country.

KPJ To Acquire One More Healthcare Centre

PUTRAJAYA, Dec 9 (Bernama) -- KPJ Healthcare Bhd, the private healthcare group in Malaysia is finalising the acquisition of another healthcare centre in the country, its chairman, Tan Sri Muhammad Ali Hashim said.
He said KPJ aimed to complete the acquisition by early next year.
"The healthcare centre, which is currently operating in a profitable position will be the 15th hospital for KPJ network of hospitals in the country," he told a media briefing Friday.
KPJ already has in operation 14 hospitals in Malaysia, two in Indonesia, as well as one hospital in construction in Bangladesh and another hospital also under construction in Indonesia.
Muhammad said KPJ was also planning to list KPJ Healthcare real estate investment trusts (REITs) by early next year.
"The KPJ Healthcare REITs, which are Islamic REITs will enable us to raise RM340 million by unlocking the value of our assets," he said.
"We intend to maintain 40 percent of the shareholding of REITs.
"We may consider diluting our shareholding at a later data," he added.

Local councils say guidelines followed

NST: Local councils today defended themselves against a Health Ministry allegation that their foggers were to blame for the rise in dengue cases and deaths.
Ampang Jaya Municipal Council spokesman Norhayati Ahmad said they had deployed four contractors to carry out fogging around their municipality and the foggers were under constant monitoring.
"Our health department is always checking on fogging activities and there is always someone from the department who follows them and takes reports," she said.
"The Health Ministry would probably be talking about the contractors who charge to carry out fogging. These people are usually not monitored," she added.
Subang Jaya Municipal Council public relations deputy director Azfarizal Abd Rashid said the council only hired private companies for fogging during dengue outbreaks.
"We usually have our health department staff on duty during an outbreak. Only when it is uncontrollable, like what has happened in the last few months, that we hire extra help.
"They (foggers), however, know that fogging will not be carried out without the presence of a monitoring officer," said Azfarizal.
"Our department’s staff are specialists in their field and they have no excuse to dilute or mix the chemicals wrongly or carry out fogging at unscheduled hours."
The New Straits Times reported yesterday that the ministry had found that contractors paid to carry out fogging nationwide had not done their job properly.
It was learnt that the contractors may have diluted the malathion/diesel mixture to the extent that aedes mosquitoes grew resistant to it.
The Petaling Jaya Municipal Council also claimed to follow the same guidelines.
"Thermal fogging that involves mixing of malathion and diesel is done by our health department staff who are trained to handle the work," said its health department director, Dr Sadiah Abdullah.
Until early last month, statistics showed a high incidence of dengue cases.
To date, 98 people have died of dengue fever and 10,036 have contracted the fever.

Love, not shun, AIDS patients

Star: KUCHING: The public has been reminded not to shun HIV/AIDS patients as this may result in their transmitting the disease silently to others.
Red Crescent Society Sarawak nursing superintendent Matron Fu Choon Kee said these people needed to be helped with love and care.
“Counselling will help them to think positively in dealing with the disease,” she said yesterday after the launch of a campaign to commemorate World AIDS Day at the City South Council building here.
Fu, whose voluntary counselling work with HIV/AIDS patients won her the Dr Siti Hasmah Award 2004, said public awareness on HIV/AIDS was still low in the state.
“We have carried out surveys in towns and there are people who ask if Sarawak has AIDS cases,” she said.
Statistics show that of the 554 HIV-positive cases reported to the state Health Department as of Oct 31, 250 developed AIDS and 115 died.
The number of new cases detected among young Sarawakians is on the rise and over 60% of them were infected through heterosexual activities.
Mayor Chan Seng Khai launched the month-long campaign organised by the Red Crescent Stampin Chapter with the theme “Wise up. Wear it. Where is yours?”
The campaign aimed at getting more people to wear red ribbons and spreading knowledge about HIV/AIDS, how to prevent infection and transmission and ways to help patients.

Housewife latest dengue victim

NST: A housewife is believed to be the eighth person in the State to have succumbed to dengue fever.
R. Susila, 31, from Taman Bukit Emas, Senawang, died at the Seremban Hospital on Monday about 10.30pm.
The mother of two children, aged three and one, was admitted to the hospital three days earlier with high fever.
Her husband, I. Tachinamurthi, 34, said his wife had complained of a fever the week before.
"She went to a private clinic and was given medication but her condition worsened two days later. She returned to the clinic on Saturday and a blood test confirmed that she had dengue fever."

Do not turn away patients

NST: Private hospitals and clinics cannot turn away patients. Director-General of Health Datuk Dr Ismail Merican, who gave this warning today, said, "The Ministry of Health is not powerless. There are some things we can do..."
He was commenting on a recent incident where a 17-year-old boy Khairul Anuar was allegedly denied emergency treatment by a private hospital because the family could not put up a RM5,000 deposit. The boy died.
Dr Ismail said the ministry had acted on the complaint and appropriate action will be taken once investigations were completed.
He reminded those providing healthcare services that they had a social responsibility to the public who needed help.
"Nobody should be denied of any form of healthcare simply because they cannot afford it. There must be some flexibility in payment, especially those seeking emergency treatment."
He said it was equally important that all doctors, nurses and medical assistants at emergency departments in private hospitals were trained to deal with all emergencies.
"Nothing is worse than going to the emergency facility and the doctor says he has lost touch with a certain procedure.
"If that is the case, he should have kept in touch by attending the courses organised by the ministry annually," he added.

Men don’t trust women drivers

NST: Most men do not trust their wives’ driving. And the reason: Women are too cautious and many drive slowly, holding up traffic. Some are impatient with male drivers.
Psychologist Dr Sher Alwi said at a seminar on Driving and Vehicle Safety of Women that women drivers tended to be more cautious while men liked to speed.
"Men feel superior behind the wheel. They feel women do not have adequate driving skills," he said.
"Men also feel they have more experience. They have been driving before World War Two while women started driving in the late 70s."
Dr Sher said such thinking was also due to the traditional role men played as the protector and head of the family.
"It is a natural instinct. They feel it is their duty to protect their family and feel uncomfortable if their wives take over the wheel."
He said it was difficult to change the perception unless women took an interest in learning to maintain the car.
"For example, women still tend to depend on their partners to fix a flat tyre or repair the car."
Crime analyst Kamal Affendi Hashim said some of the road rage cases against women were due to impatience.
"Sometimes women take a long time to exit from their parking lot. A male driver waiting for the bay gets impatient, especially if she is putting on lipstick or combing her hair."
He advised women not to put up car stickers which might indicate their marital status.
"Those who put bears or Garfield stickers on their cars are single while mothers usually put on ‘Child on Board’ signs."
He said rapists and snatch thieves might pick their victims using these indicators.