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KUALA LUMPUR – Selected private hospitals and clinics will be given government contracts to provide health services for patients with non-severe health issues such as fever and flu, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof (Petra Jaya-GPS).
He told the Dewan Rakyat that the contracts will be either short-, medium-, or long-term depending on need.
He said this private-public partnership will help ease overcrowding at government medical facilities.
This was brought up by Oscar Ling Chai Yew (Sibu-PH), who asked about the standard of care provided by government healthcare facilities as they often face overcrowding.
Ling said overcrowding forces people to endure long queues to get health services at government facilities.
Fadillah added that the government has been building more hospitals, clinics, and rural clinics, although Malaysians should adopt a healthier lifestyle to prevent going to hospitals often.
“Many Malaysians still prefer to go to government facilities because the services provided are good and most of them are eligible for free treatments.”
He also said while government hospitals have enough healthcare staff such as doctors and nurses, it is quite hard to manage the crowds.
During the tabling of Budget 2023 last Friday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim introduced the Madani medical scheme which will see a public-private partnership implemented nationwide. – The Vibes, February 28, 2023
