The Health Ministry will issue a circular soon to allow assistant medical officers (AMO) to issue prescriptions for basic medicines for common ailments.

Its minister, Dzulkefly Ahmad, said the move is part of the ministry’s efforts to recognise their role.

“I see this matter as very important because for assistant medical officers working in rural areas such as Sabah and Sarawak, some work without doctors where the task of saving lives depends on them (AMOs), especially at community clinics,” he told a press conference after opening the national-level 14th Medical Assistant Day celebration at Tunku Azizah Hospital today.

Dzulkefly said the task of giving the prescription for the AMOs, however, could only be made by those whose scope of work is to treat patients, involving specific categories of medicines such as for fever, cough, phlegm and diarrhoea.

Meanwhile, director-general of Health Dr Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan said that, so far, the date for its implementation is being refined and will be decided before the circular is issued.

In another development, over allegations that private hospitals charged insured patients more than those who pay out of pocket for medical procedures, Dzulkefly said the matter is being reviewed based on data and evidence.

Regarding the directive to display medicine prices at private health facilities, he said its implementation would be postponed to May following an engagement session with private general practitioners.

“I have given my commitment to review the consultation fees for GPs because it has not been reviewed for a long time,” he said.

- Bernama

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