Health Ministry's strategic plan impacts delivery of health services: Subramaniam

PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry's Strategic Plan (2016-2020) has had a high impact on strengthening the delivery of health services and improving the level of people's healthcare needs, says Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam.
The Health Minister said among the successes achieved was the provision of specialist services in each group of cluster hospitals to ensure optimum utilisation of human resources and avoid congestion at general hospitals.
He said the implementation of the cluster hospital concept which was a smart initiative by the government, had improved the general quality of service, and allowed specialist services to be more widely available to the people via partnerships, as well as optimal utilisation of existing resources at lower costs.
"This is not only beneficial to the ministry but also patients, as they can now seek specialist care at any district hospital nationwide.
"For example, the introduction of cluster hospitals in certain states such as in Pahang, where specialist physicians are provided at district hospitals such as in Temerloh, Kuala Lipis and Jerantut, have reduced the congestion of patients at general hospitals," he told reporters after presenting the 2017 Ministry of Health Excellent Service Award (APC) to 381 staff of the ministry here today.
According to Subramaniam, another prominent achievement was the integration of health screening data system for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) to efficiently and effectively address them.
He said the integrated data – which was still being consolidated – would be able to be accessed by public and private medical practitioners to further improve the quality of Malaysian healthcare services.
"The government is always concerned about the need for equitable, quality healthcare and affordable healthcare for the people. It is a step towards a more holistic and long-lasting healthcare system," he added.
In another development, Subramaniam said stern action could be taken against supplement producers who failed to get product notification from the National Pharmaceutical Control Bureau.
"Producers (of supplements) need to notify the bureau and they will be given a product notification label. Supplementary products are not like medicines which require full registration and approval regarding drug use dosage and whether it poses a risk to consumers," he said, commenting on media reports on the sale of counterfeit supplements widely available in the market. — Bernama