It is commendable that our health minister is so concerned for the emergency treatment of acute cases, especially accident victims. I fully support his move to equip all clinics with the facilities for basic resuscitation in emergency cases. I am sure most doctors would welcome his endeavours.

All clinics must be equipped with basic gadgets like intravenous drip sets and oxygen for use in dire emergencies. They must be in working condition at all times (which regrettably may not be the case in many of our hospitals and ambulances). Moreover, the doctors must be responsible enough to attend to the patient promptly and make the necessary arrangements to transfer him to the nearest hospital as quickly as possible.

At the same time, minister Chua Soi Lek must remember that treatment of major emergencies require the expertise of specialists and modern equipment. The duty of the clinic will be to resuscitate and transfer the victim to a bigger medical centre as soon as possible; we should not expect much more than that. The patient should not be left stranded in a clinic for too long, as that would result in irreversible damage and poor prognosis.

In this context, it would be wise for the ministry to come up with a better ambulance and rescue service especially in accident prone areas and for urban settings that are perpetually choked with traffic. Mobile emergency units which are properly staffed and equipped with resuscitating facilities must be established here as in advanced countries. Air-lifting of critically injured patients can be an option worth exploring.

It is not uncommon here to see the arrival of an ambulance that is ill-equipped and inadequately staffed to render proper resuscitation to a seriously injured victim.

Chua argues the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 is necessary to ensure that basic standards are met in all private clinics and hospitals but the Act contains so many provisions that are unnecessary to fulfill those noble aims.

For example, the detailed structural requirements of the clinic, the elaborate paperwork for registration and maintenance of the clinic, the additional payments required and above all, the threat of punishment with exorbitant fines and imprisonment are beyond the comprehension of doctors. This drives us to wonder whether there are other sinister motives as to why the ministry is so adamant in enforcing the Act.

What is really needed is education, training and proper incentives for doctors to adhere to a quality-based and ethical medical practice. Enforcement of stringent laws will not bring any permanent and lasting results; rather it would only invite abuse and corruption.

Chua and Health Ministry director-general Dr Ismail Merican, both being medical doctors, should seriously search their conscience to see whether the Act would actually benefit their fellow doctors now and in the future.

It may be better for the rakyat and the nation as a whole if the ministry spends more time and energy to look into the numerous problems that plague our government hospitals such as avoidable morbidity and mortality, long waiting time for basic investigations and specialist treatment, exodus of experienced trained staff, just to name a few.