MMA concerned budget cut will hinder quality care for patients

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) is concerned that the Health Ministry's budget cut have affected the quality care meant for patients.
Its president Dr. John Chew today said it would mean with fewer funds, it would be a challenge for patients receiving healthcare from government-based facilities.
This is an addition to rising cost of living experienced by the patients, he said.
The government had slashed this year's budget allocation meant for the ministry between RM250 million and RM300 million in January.
He also expressed hope for the ministry to review ways to improve its efficiency in dealing with the budget cuts.
The ministry had recently allayed fears that there was a shortage of medicines despite claims made by patients.
"There is no shortage of medicines or supplements at public hospitals and clinics. What we have done is to supply medicines for a month. This is to reduce wastage," Director-General of Health Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah told theSun.
The issue followed claims by patients that there is medicine shortage in government hospitals as their supply has been limited to two weeks or a month unlike before where they used to get a minimum of two months to six months supply depending on the drugs prescribed.
However, theSun's readers have since expressed anger over the denial as they were experiencing medicine shortage from pharmacists in government hospitals.
Sungai Buloh patient Raymond Ho wrote in a letter to theSun that a pharmacist told him that medicines needed was insufficient due to the budget cut.
"Little do they (the ministry) understand that not only it is a hassle to go back to the hospital so many times, but time is really wasted and we have to spend more on public transport. It is not easy taking time off from work too," he said.
Another reader, who wished to be known as Madam Ooh, was desperate after reading the ministry's reply.
"Since they reduced my prescription for eye drops from one month to two weeks, I'm forced to reduce my dosage from four drops daily to two drops.
How is this going to treat my glaucoma? I'm blind in one eye and have to travel by bus to Kuala Lumpur Hospital more frequently now," the 68-year-old retiree said.