One of the main reasons cited for the de-recognition of Ukraine's Crimea State Medical University was derived from a letter the health minister had received from a student claiming rape and threats ( New Straits Times , July 1).

He seems to have taken a stern and decisive action on the strength of this one letter. In my letter and e-mails to him dated June 8, 2004, Aug 29, 2004 and June 23, 2005 (of which there has been no response) there have been claims made on the following issues:

  • Millions of patients in Malaysia are not adequately safeguarded against medical errors, negligence or malpractices.

  • There could be thousands of deaths every year due to some form of medical negligence and this could be on the rise.

  • There could be crimes committed in some consultation rooms and operating theatres.

  • The healthcare providers and professionals in the private sector lack stringent regulations.

  • Patients are not assured of a consistent quality for medical treatment.

  • Private healthcare providers blatantly disregard urgent patient complaints.

  • Victims of medical errors or negligence do not have avenues to an immediate, effective and fair redress system.

  • Victims of medical errors or negligence face extreme difficulty in procuring unbiased and detailed expert medical and radiologist reports based on medical evidence.

  • Victims of medical error or negligence face extreme difficulty in having the medical experts to testify in a court of law.

  • Cases of medical negligence or malpractice could be covered up.

  • The Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) seems passive in nature and does not have an inspectorate to detect offences.

  • There seems to be a lack of proper machinery to deal with poorly performing doctors except through the court of law.

  • The MMC seems to be more concerned with ensuring quality in medical training than in medical practice.

  • The MMC is not concerned with medical errors or negligence.

  • Some of the MMC's 'quality assured' doctors in practice could be providing detrimental standards of medical treatment.

  • The MMC does not seem to have stringent policies and effective disciplinary mechanisms to check the quality of treatment and care provided by doctors.

  • The MMC does not seem to address shortfalls in clinical competence or standards of doctors in practice.

    • What stern and decisive actions has the health minister taken on these claims? Is he looking into the poor quality of medical training only because it could adversely affect health tourism?

    How about first looking into the poor quality of medical treatment provided by local medical professionals which involve the health and well-being of about 25 million fellow Malaysians?