COMMENT | Don't use emergency to arm-twist, bully private healthcare sector
COMMENT | The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) views with deep concern the statement made by Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob yesterday, concerning the Emergency Ordinance (EO).
The EO should be used responsibly and not to bully or arm-twist the private healthcare sector in order to use its resources.
For the record, the private healthcare sector has been consistently offering their services in the battle against Covid-19 from the very start of the pandemic.
It must also be noted that most of the private hospitals are owned by government-linked companies (GLCs) where the government as a shareholder is a beneficiary of its profits and dividends.
The EO should be used for a collaborative approach in finding and hastening solutions by cutting red tape and removing regulatory burdens for seamless implementation.
COMMENT | The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) views with deep concern the statement made by Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob yesterday, concerning the Emergency Ordinance (EO).
The EO should be used responsibly and not to bully or arm-twist the private healthcare sector in order to use its resources.
For the record, the private healthcare sector has been consistently offering their services in the battle against Covid-19 from the very start of the pandemic.
It must also be noted that most of the private hospitals are owned by government-linked companies (GLCs) where the government, as a shareholder, is a beneficiary of its profits and dividends.
The EO should be used for a collaborative approach in finding and hastening solutions by cutting red tape and removing regulatory burdens for seamless implementation.
The government should stop playing 'big brother' after not being able to contain the pandemic and should instead start listening to feedback from the ground and regard private healthcare as its key partner.
The 7,000 Health Ministry-trained trained general practitioners were sidelined from the start of the pandemic and throughout most of 2020 in the fight against Covid-19.
The MMA has been regularly advising the government on the important role of GPs in this pandemic.
It is hoped the GPs will be roped in more effectively and be involved in policymaking in managing Covid-19 in primary care.
Previously, many GPs were reluctant to see upper respiratory infections for fear of the closure of their clinics and vague quarantine criteria imposed by the ministry.
The MMA’s numerous letters to the Health Ministry and meetings with government officials seem to have fallen on deaf ears.
The government should provide clear guidelines and direction in policies for the private healthcare sector instead of threatening to fine private hospitals which do not cooperate in managing the pandemic.
It should also take time to understand the private healthcare ecosystem before deciding on any policies.
Desktop analysis policies will more than likely result in challenges during implementation, leading to failure and waste of resources.
Threats and bullying are not the way to go and it will most certainly not gain the respect of the people.
The government should instead go back to the drawing board and, once and for all, for the sake of our beloved country and the rakyat, truly implement a 'whole of society' and 'whole of government' approach.
DR SUBRAMANIAM MUNIANDY is president of the Malaysian Medical Association.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
