Latest news with #CrisisandCommunity:Covid-19inMalaysia
The Star
3 days ago
- Health
- The Star
Creative financing key to sustaining national healthcare, says Dzulkefly
PETALING JAYA: Bold, creative financing reforms are the only way forward to heal the deep cracks in Malaysia's healthcare system unmasked by the Covid-19 pandemic, says Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (pic). Unveiling plans for public-private collaboration under a government-linked investment company (GLIC) model, he warned that health security must be treated with the same urgency as national defence. Dzulkefly said this yesterday at the launch of a book titled Crisis and Community: Covid-19 in Malaysia at Gerakbudaya here. On the concerns that the Health Ministry's Rakan KKM initiative is a form of healthcare privatisation, Dzulkefly said he will not reveal details but noted it was created due to budgetary allocation limits, national debt, and GDP ratios that restrict spending. He said health security must be dealt with 'the same urgency we defend our borders'. 'That means sustained investment in our healthcare workforce. 'I am introducing a game-changing initiative where public facilities collaborate with private sector specialists, likely under a GLIC model. 'The idea is to generate revenue through elective services (non-emergency), possibly in specialised private wings within public hospitals. 'Funds generated would cross-subsidise public health services and infrastructure,' said Dzulkefly. 'We want to retain our specialists, reduce the bleeding, and invest back into public facilities. 'I can't keep asking for more budget, so I'm unlocking value through reforms,' said Dzulkefly. He also said the Covid-19 had shown that the healthcare system has inadequate social safety nets for vulnerable groups such as the elderly and the mentally ill. 'Future crisis governance must be targeted, empathetic, data-informed and inclusive. 'We must design interventions that are community-driven and flexible, not one-size-fits-all,' said Dzulkefly. At the forum, consultant paediatrician and child disability activist Datuk Dr Amar-Singh HSS said that Covid-19 has revealed the fragility of our institutional services. 'During the height of the pandemic, we experienced desperate cries for help to find an ICU bed for their family members. 'The support for carers was weak, and equipment and resources were limited even in non-pandemic times, stretched thin. 'Some doctors placed their children with grandparents and did not see them for months,' said Dr Amar. He said that there must be better preparation for the next pandemic by placing greater emphasis on building our institutional services, especially health, education and social services. He also urged making indoor air more clean, as he said most indoor air is filled with 'airborne diseases'. Ampang Hospital paediatrician Dr Tan Hui Siu narrated how medical officers and healthcare workers trudged the pandemic and had to make do with what they had as frontliners. Virologist and policy analyst Dr Lyana Khairuddin called for better education on the vaccine naysayers as well as more investments be made into vaccine research and development.
The Star
3 days ago
- Health
- The Star
‘Give Sabah, S'wak postings a chance'
Learning curve: Dzulkefly (fourth from right) holding a copy of 'Crisis and Community Covid-19 in Malaysia' at the launch event. — RAJA FAISAL HISHAN/The Star PETALING JAYA: About 20% of medical officers who have applied to be transferred from Sabah and Sarawak to Peninsular Malaysia may have to remain in their current postings, says Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad. He urged the doctors to 'give it a chance'. 'I have seen many specialists in Sabah during my hospital visits. When they were first posted, they were very reluctant to be there but now, they are in their 10th year. 'So give the posting a chance, especially if both husband and wife are posted together. 'We are looking into the appeals by doctors based in Sabah and Sarawak, but 20% may have to bite the bullet (and stay on),' he told the media after launching the book Crisis and Community: Covid-19 in Malaysia yesterday. Dzulkefly said the ministry is looking into ways to improve the incentives and allowances for those stationed in the two Borneo states. It was reported that around 600 medical officers currently posted there have applied for transfers to the peninsula. The Health Ministry said the high number of transfer requests has made it difficult to ensure sufficient public health services in Sabah and Sarawak. The Malaysian Medical Association had called for current policies to be amended to ensure travel and cargo reimbursements are allowed for all inter-state transfers, especially for those moving from contract to permanent posts across regions. It also called for the rectification of the Bayaran Insentif Wilayah disparity, which has led to discrepancies in take-home salaries of doctors transferred within regions after Dec 1, 2024. 'This has caused more doctors to refrain from going to Sabah and Sarawak. 'This policy sees doctors of similar seniority being paid differently for the same work and responsibility,' it added.
The Star
4 days ago
- Health
- The Star
Covid-19 exposed our healthcare system's weakness, say doctors
PETALING JAYA: The Covid-19 pandemic has revealed the fragility of the country's healthcare services, says consultant paediatrician and child disability activist Datuk Dr Amar-Singh HSS. 'It is not that we did not know that our health services had been slowly decaying for decades, but we were not allowed to speak publicly about it and always 'today, you will have to manage with what you have'. 'During the height of the pandemic, we experienced desperate cries for help to find an ICU bed for their family members. The support for carers was weak, equipment and resources were limited even in non-pandemic times, stretched thin. 'Some doctors placed their children with grandparents and did not see them for months,' said Dr Amar at a launch of the book titled 'Crisis and Community: Covid-19 in Malaysia' at Gerakbudaya here Sunday (July 27). The book is a compilation of essays on the Covid-19 crisis by all levels of society, edited by Bridget Welsh. Speaking further at the event, which was attended by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, Dr Amar said that there must be better preparation for the next pandemic by placing greater emphasis on building our institutional services, especially health, education and social services. Fellow panellist Ampang Hospital paediatrician Dr Tan Hui Siu narrated how the medical officers and healthcare workers trudged through the pandemic and had to make do with what they had as frontliners. 'We were giving our best in caring, but also to provide compassionate care and treatment that soothes and comforts everyone. 'So there was a gap where we were actually preparing those guidelines and with some of the clinicians, but by the time they were implemented, it was inadequate,' said Dr Tan. She talked of how she struggled to cope with the deaths of patients younger than her and how her teams had to care for patients on their deathbeds alone due to the lockdown. Meanwhile, virologist and policy analyst Dr Lyana Khairuddin called for better education on the vaccine naysayers as well as more investments to be made into vaccine research and development. She labelled the frantic search for vaccines during the pandemic as the 'Vaccine Hunger Games'. 'The Hunger Games aside, there was also the fight to actually get a slot to be jabbed,' said Dr Lyana. She said that the pandemic revealed the need for more science education among Malaysians. 'There are still people saying 'I have survived the pandemic and I am not vaccinated and I am okay and healthy'. Then, there are those who say that 'my mother died because she got the vaccine',' said Lyana. She stressed that there must be more conversations on why vaccines were given during the pandemic and more critical thinking so that people do not fall easily for 'popular traditional cures' during the next pandemic.
The Star
4 days ago
- Health
- The Star
Getting 'creative' to reform nation's healthcare: Dr Dzul defends Rakan KKM initiative
PETALING JAYA: The controversial Rakan KKM initiative is an attempt to creatively reform the nation's healthcare system, says Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad. The Health Minister said that due to government's budgetary constraints, he had no choice but to get "creative". 'If you can't give me the resource, allow me to be resourceful. 'We want to retain our specialists, reduce the bleeding, and invest back into public facilities. 'I can't keep asking for more budget - so I'm unlocking value through reforms,' said Dzulkefly. Rakan KKM is a new initiative by the Health Ministry to introduce a "premium economy" or paid service within public hospitals and clinics. Various quarters have voiced fears that the incorporation of Rakan KKM Sdn Bhd signalled a move towards the privatisation of public health services. Dzulkefly was speaking at a launch of the book titled 'Crisis and Community: Covid-19 in Malaysia' at Gerakbudaya here on Sunday (July 27). The book is a compilation of essays on the Covid-19 crisis by all levels of society, edited by Bridget Welsh. At the forum, Dzulkefly insisted that health security must be dealt with 'the same urgency as we defend our borders". 'That means sustained investment in our healthcare workforce. 'I am introducing a "game-changing" initiative where public facilities collaborate with private sector specialists, likely under a GLIC (government-linked investment company) model. 'The idea is to generate revenue through elective services (non-emergency), possibly in specialised private wings within public hospitals. 'Funds generated would cross-subsidise public health services and infrastructure,' said Dzulkefly. He also stated that Covid-19 had shown that the healthcare system has inadequate social safety nets for vulnerable groups such as the elderly and the mentally ill. 'We must never again frame public health and economic survival as rigidly opposed choices. 'Future crisis governance must be targeted, empathetic, data-informed, and inclusive. 'We must design interventions that are community-driven and flexible - not one-size-fits-all,' said Dzulkefly, revealing that Malaysia's struggle to get vaccines earlier in the pandemic exposed a global system skewed in favour of the rich.
The Star
4 days ago
- Health
- The Star
Let the Health DG handle Penang doctor molest case, says Health Minister
PETALING JAYA: The Health director-general Datuk Dr Mahathar Abd Wahab, will be looking into the case of the Penang doctor who was caught for allegedly molesting female patients four times, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad. He was commenting on a question about the said doctor still practising despite the alleged sexual harassment incidents at a government hospital. Dzulkefly said this on Sunday (July 27) after launching the book titled 'Crisis and Community: Covid-19 in Malaysia', a compilation of essays on the Covid-19 crisis by all levels of society edited by Bridget Welsh. 'That matter falls within the jurisdiction of the Health director-general Dr Mahathar. 'As the Health Minister, I act based on the advice and information provided by the Director-General. So we will rely on his office to handle this. We will try to resolve this,' said Dzulkefly. On July 24, Penang police said that they had been instructed by the Deputy Public Prosecutor's (DPP) office to carry out further investigations on the doctor who was caught for allegedly molesting his female patients four times. Acting Penang police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Mohd Alwi Zainal Abidin then said three of the cases were reported in the northeast district, while the fourth and the most recent one was in the southwest district. "We submitted the investigation papers for the three original cases reported in the northeast district to the DPP's office. "We recently received instructions from the DPP's office to further investigate the cases,' said DCP Alwi. He said in regard to the fourth case in the southwest district, we have started the investigation. He said it is believed the 43-year-old doctor, who was said to be working in a government hospital in the northeast district, was transferred to a government clinic in the southwest district. "The recent incident occurred at a private clinic in the southwest district where he was doing locum,' said DCP Alwi.
