Who runs the Ministry of Health?
Letters
by EJB
I refer to the newspaper report “Doctors to be disallowed from dispensing Medicine” NST 29th March where the DG of Health has apparently agreed to a pilot proposal where doctors seeing patients at their clinics only prescribe and patients will then have to locate a pharmacy where they will have to purchase their medications separately. Don’t ask when these negotiations started and who were at the discussions who finally agreed to this proposal. In all likelihood doctors’ representatives were either kept away or presumably threatened with the OSA (Official Secrets Act)
It seems the ruling party has learnt nothing from the last elections. More pertinently one must ask. Is this a dying priority for the Ministry of Health now especially when it reported only these last 48 hours about the lethal outcomes of the dengue scourge which it has repeatedly shown it is unable to control and the rising incidence of resurgent tuberculosis? We will not even discuss about waiting time for patients who queue up to see doctors at 4 am in the morning or of parents begging in the media for financial help to save their sick children.
The DG of Health, one would have thought, would have his hands full trying to pool his resources without digging further holes he cannot cover. But there you are. He appears to have caved in to the pharmacy lobby. This debate is not new. It is ancient in terms of healthcare provisions in Malaysia. The basic contention. Why should General Practitioners or other doctors prescribe when there are pharmacists around? Answer, for the convenience of the patient especially in the rural areas or in locations where pharmaceutical chains open ten stores to show a 30 million ringgit turnover so that they can get into the second board while employing only 5 pharmacists to cut costs. These pharmacists will only be in during shift hours and usually not available after 9pm where the rigors of a 24 hour practice will call upon the dedication and commitment of a medical doctor where treatment and prescription come hand in hand.
Was this proposal also the result of a pow wow discussed quietly and clandestinely in a remote backroom of the Ministry? Or could the flashing of this sudden pilot proposal headlined in the NST’s frontpages an attempt to improve Merican’s rather sagging image recently. However, if Merican and co have proposed this truly in the belief that it is for the benefit of patients, then they cannot even possibly fathom the inconvenience they will now inflict on patients who will have to hop off two different locations for medical treatment especially if they are a distance apart.
It appears that Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi is essentially saying it’s business as usual and may have indeed missed a point what the electorate was trying to point out to him in the last elections. Cost of living has boomeranged out of control for much of the middle and lower income groups in this country. The idea is to reduce costs and keep them down if you can, not increase it. This maneuver by pharmacists with the tacit approval of the DG of Health doesn’t point in that direction. This pilot project appears to be directed to enhance or further secure the business interests of pharmacists rather then a genuine calling to help patients. The Malaysian Pharmaceutical Society president John Chang Chiew Pheng’s statement that this move will not necessarily cost patients more is decidedly less then assuring. Hopefully the new Health Minister, Liow Tiong Lai, doesn’t have a hand in this considering the fact that he denied the statement later the same evening. If he has, then clearly lessons of the past have not been learnt.
The Ministry and Malaysian healthcare in general face some serious problems, especially the lack of doctors, accessibility to specialists, waiting time and rising incidences of some serious illnesses both infective and degenerative. The Minister and his DG with their limited resources must focus on this rather then pander to businesses such as the pharmaceutical and medical equipment industries. It was bad enough during Chua Soi Lek’s time when for some mysterious reasons best known to him; he appeared focused on traditional medicine when the nation was having problems even running its conventional medical services properly. Shouldn’t the MOH be trying to make services more convenient for patients instead of fragmenting them and making patients run all over the place for consultations, tests and now prescriptions? Who runs this Ministry anyway?
EJB
March 31st, 2008 at 09: 14.19
This one is the Malaysian Pharmaceutical Society’s proposal for pharmacists to dispense medication to patients. Many doctors not happy. It is the age old question of who encroaches on whose traditional turf and who gets to make the money from dispensing medicine and pharmaceuticals - all of course in the name of the public’s convenience and good.
The Health Ministry has however not yet decided to disallow doctors from dispensing medicines. Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said yesterday he would like to meet the Malaysian Medical Council, doctors and pharmacists to discuss the matter.
“At the moment, we are still looking at the proposal. We have not made any decision yet,” he said after his first official visit to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital yesterday.
Se link - http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Sunday/Frontpage/2199368/Article/index_html
March 31st, 2008 at 09: 24.26
Some bozos have come out with e-Kesihatan and with such ruling not surprising some UmnoPutras will come out with a scheme called the e-pharmacy so that they can reap off the Rakyat.
March 31st, 2008 at 09: 47.45
In the first place, have we really looked into the ridiculous prices of medicine being charge at various dispensaries? Why is that so? Oh yes, some middlemen made some huge profit out of us taxpayers.
March 31st, 2008 at 09: 51.21
Dear Datuk Liow,
Congratulations on your appointment as the new Minister for Health. I got your email from the NST today and decided to write to you the thoughts of some of the young GPs in this country.
I am a doctor practicing in a clinic in the out skirts. I was totally taken aback when I read the headlines yesterday in the NST, wherein the DG of Health was reported to have said that doctors will eventually be relieved from their right to dispense medication at their clinic, another unpopular move by the DG of Health.[ who also happens to be the President of MMC ]
Indeed there was a lot of rumbling and grumbling on the ground almost immediately and many were not pleased by this statement by the DG. I think sooner or later the DG aims that doctors should be out of jobs.
There will come a day when medical laboratory technologists will say that they can run blood and urinary tests and are capable of infering results so no need for the doctors to infer results. Then the radiographers will say they can do X Rays and scans and therefore patients who need a X Ray or scan may just walk in to their ” clinics”. As it is the Ministry is trying to face out doctors from the hospital administration. Now we have paramedics who have reached the stage of Deputy Directors of Hospitals. Soon computers may be able to diagnose diseases and there you go………… the mission and vision of the Ministry will be achieved.
The right to dispense is the right of the doctors and thats why we read Pharmacology in medical school and journals/CMEs now. No one can say that a doctor doesnt know much about drug interactions, drug reactions and adverse reactions. Only fools will believe this. If a patient is supposed to get a priscription from a doctor and go to the nearby pharmacy, what guarantee is it that the medicine is being dispensed by a qualified pharmacist and not a helper in the pharmacy. We all know that you only get to see the pharmacist in any pharmacy if you request to see one and all other transactions are done by helpers with no medical back ground what so ever at the counters. You mean to say these helpers are better than a doctor in a clinic who gives personalised treatment to his patients ?
I also found the write up about how doctors in Taiwan, Korea went on a strike for 3 days despite government warnings , distasteful. It appeared to me and others that the Government was giving the doctors in Malaysia a warning pre emtively should we also consider doing the same. When there were demonstartions held recently the Government was quick to belittle the organisers by saying that ” this is not our culture “. Well Dato Liow, the dispensing of medicines at clinics in Malaysia has been Malaysian culture ever since time can remember and this system has worked very well in the Malaysian scenario. Kindly do NOT change this well worked, time tested Malaysian culture.
The guardians of Health in this country are the doctors and not with the Minister,the DG, the pharmacists, the MLTs, the radiographers or anyone else. The body that represents us is the Malaysian Medical Association and NOT the Malaysian Medical Council . Any change in policy should be done in consultation with the doctors and not by free hand forcefully by the Minister or the DG as in the case of the Private Health Act which was bulldozed past us.
Kindly read this mail with a sense of urgency
Thank You and Kind regards,
Once again wish you all the best in your tenure as the Minister of Health , Malaysia
March 31st, 2008 at 10: 01.02
THE FACTS remain that the Ministry has got its priority mixed up.
of course in most countries like in Australia, the doctors prescribed, and the pharmacists dispensed, BUT like anything else in Malaysia, we “bolehed” the agenda without serious thoughts about the logistics.
liken to the lrt and monorail and skyrail or whatsoever to improve public transport, BUT, conduit to the ends are not in place to facilitate a smooth flow.
money is to be made out medicines - THATS A FACT. we are not naive that the profit margins on medicines are high. but, until there are a supporting pharmacy in every medical doctor’s clinic, it is doom to fail. we dont plan.
imagine, you have a high fever, or vomitting and you need to wait and see a doctor,than drives around and look for a pharmacy. this is not too bad, because some medicines can be bought over the counter. many like guardians and watsons have inhouse pharmacists to dispense controlled medicine. what happened if the pharmacist is not around after normal business hours ?
like most decisions, its knee jerk reaction to appease but NO thorough thoughts have been done.
IT IS ONLY GOOD WHEN ALL FACTORS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO MAKE A SICK PERSON WITH IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO MEDICATION IS POSSIBLE, THAN THE IMPLEMENTATION IS FEASIBLE. until than, i hope we who pays have a choice to choose.
March 31st, 2008 at 10: 08.05
typo error
money is to be made out of the medicines.
the cost of the antibiotic augmentin is x and is sold for rm 10.00 each at some pharmacy.
and there are generic and non generic medicine of similar kind.
the rich gets richer, the poor gets so much poorer.
March 31st, 2008 at 10: 15.42
Let’s be practical, what’s the benefits of disallowing the doctors from dispensing medication to the population at large ?
None !!! Let me explain why:
1) The patient would need to travel to 2 different locations just to get the necessary medication. Imagine the hardship inflicted on someone who is either sick or elderly in addition to the extra costs for travel. And the “Malaysian Pharmaceutical Society president John Chang Chiew Pheng’s statement that this move will not necessarily cost patients more” is not less than assuring but downright fraudulent.
2) Are the pharmacies going to dispense these medications at lower prices? Unlikely, as most pharmacies would not dispense generic drug which are cheaper. By the way, most doctors do not make a major profit from the drugs they dispense anyway and has anyone made a proper study of the differences in prices between the medication drugs available for sale in pharmacies and the price of medications dispensed from medical clinic ? You will be very surprised by the results.
3) The claim that doctors are less knowledgeable than pharmacists when it comes to knowledge of medicine and modern drug is ridiculous. The prescription would still need to be provided by the doctors and the pharmacists do not have any power to override the prescriptions. This move would relegate pharmacists to the role of “medicine dispensing machine” which is a rather big waste of their talents.
The current system works well. The doctors would provide the prescriptions and the medications as well. Meanwhile, long term prescriptions for diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure, the patient is of course free to get medication from pharmacies and other approved sources according to the prescriptions provided by medical doctors.
Is the DG of the Health Ministry so selfish that he sacrifice the well-being of others just to line his pocket ? What goes around comes around ? There will be one day that these rogues regret their actions.
March 31st, 2008 at 10: 20.20
Many countries in Asia allow doctors to dispense medicines: Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan. There is nothing to suggest that their medical care is any worse than that in Europe or the US.
March 31st, 2008 at 10: 41.16
For doctors in Malaysia to have a fair shake, we need a Walk-for-Justice kind of march.
We have seen that only radical movements and something extraordinary can strike fear into the Barisan Nasional government and knock some sense into their head.
But such radicalism be seen among Malaysian doctors?
March 31st, 2008 at 10: 45.07
a little birdie says the DG has been promised perks but big pharmaceutical companies if he can get this done before he retires
March 31st, 2008 at 10: 45.41
a little birdie says the DG has been promised perks by big pharmaceutical companies if he can get this done before he retires
March 31st, 2008 at 10: 47.27
Hey Ministry of Hell,
What’s the problem with the existing arrangement? On one hand you want to improve on your services to make it convenient for the people to get treatment and on the hand some smart alec is trying to do away with it for whom?
Don’t force us Rakyat to create a second tsunami okay?
March 31st, 2008 at 10: 47.39
It is normal, now UMNO putras must crack their head to tap the Malaysian. Don’t forget they call themselves “Kerdil” or Dwarf when YB LGE proposed the “open tender policy” they are reluctant to change, they are like childrens crying and jumping to make their parents (Federal Govt.) buy them toys to satisfy their desire. They have become arrogant, and start thinking of how to cheat the rakyat by exploiting all angle. I hope the opposition state don’t obey to it.
March 31st, 2008 at 11: 10.22
it is totally reasonable for pharmacies to dispense based on prescriptions by doctors. but truthfully, pharmacies are already prescribing medicines off the shelf without doctors’ prescription and how is the ministry of health going to curb such malpractices?
i think there are much more things the ministry should be worried about esp like HIV infection, tuberculosis, dengue which is literally KILLING ppl, rather than be busy with whose rights it is to prescribe!
March 31st, 2008 at 11: 19.30
Like i have been saying all this while UMNO is not fighting for the rights of the Malays …But the right of UMNOPUTRAS.This UMNO guys know only how to take and take and take.
This UMNOPUTRAS are a shame to the MALAY race..Without the help of the goverment they can never survive on their own.Its sad really sad
March 31st, 2008 at 11: 24.00
YEARS AGO….
Nori brought her fiancé KayJay home to meet her parents. After dinner, her mother told her father to find out about the young man.
The father invited the fiancé to his study for a talk.
“So what are your plans?” the father asked the young man.
“I am a politician,” kayJay replied.
“A politician. Hmmm,” the father said. “Admirable, but what will you do to provide a nice house for my daughter to live in?”
“I will play racial politics,” the young man replied, “and God will provide for us.”
“And how will you buy her a beautiful engagement ring, such as she deserves?” asked the father.
“I will play more racial politics,” the young man replied, “God will provide for us.”
“And children?” asked the father. “How will you support children?”
“Don’t worry, sir, God will provide,” replied the fiancé.
The conversation proceeded like this, and each time the father questioned, the young idealist insisted that God would provide.
Later, the mother asked, “How did it go, dear?”
The father answered, “He has no job and no plans, and he thinks I’m God!”
March 31st, 2008 at 11: 27.43
Being a mdical doctor myself I prefer to prescribe mdications for my patients and charge RM30.00 as consultation(MMA recommended). Then my patients go to pharmacy to get their medications and pay another RM30.00 i.e total of RM60/=. Whereas I would have charged only RM30/= to RM40/= (cunsultation+medication). So who suffers, the RAKYAT again. Then comes the second tsunami. Is it what you want my dear YB Health Minister!
March 31st, 2008 at 11: 30.26
oedipus, the move is to stimulate the pocket of certain members of the BN coalition at the expense of Rakyat inconvenience. This guy will give all the permits like giving AP to benefit from it. You know lah after election the pocket is getting lighter.
Ministry of Trade - AP Queen (AP - Approved Permit)
Minisitry of Health - PP King (PP - Pharmacy Permit)
Why not we have a chinese PP King if there is no more AP Queen legacy?
March 31st, 2008 at 11: 33.52
k1980,
was the interview done in one go or did they break for naps in between ?
March 31st, 2008 at 11: 37.33
Greetings,
Why the change? Currently this system is working very well. If we think the drugs sell at clinics are more expensive, we can go to pharmacies to purchase them. As mentioned by many people, why make the patients who are already sick and weak to travel through traffic jams and hunting for parking spaces, just to seek cure and then for medication? What works for other developed countries may not work well here. Just like they allow total freedom of speech and demonstration on the streets are irked at by you, the wakil rakyat. So, don’t again think you know best.
March 31st, 2008 at 11: 52.43
Will this prediction turn out to be true?
http://asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1123&Itemid=31
When parliament assembles in late April, the opposition tables a no-confidence vote against Badawi. Enough UMNO or other Barisan Nasional members stay away for the vote which is carried, forcing the prime minister to resign. Up steps Najib, or Razaleigh, to claim the crown. The BR rapidly comes to regret this move as the new UMNO administration decides to put an end to Badawi’s tolerant ways, blaming him for giving space for the opposition to develop. It cracks down on new found freedoms and threatens or even imposes a state of emergency.
March 31st, 2008 at 11: 58.09
Aiya,lakilompat, how to have a Chinese PPKing when Um…No is still there? Um…No’s policy is still the same. After they have the scoop the cream than they pass to a others to squeeze us further. Oh yes, the Pharmacy Permit looks very very likely to be implemented soon. They already have the company. Times’ running out. They know they have got only 5 years the most. Guess their cronies may have already achieved their objectives to supply almost everything the Govt. Hospital Needs. Now, Guess this must be Phase 2. Sick RAKYATS must buy Medicine from them so that they can make a fortune out of it. Probably, like the tolls. Every year they might increase 10%…My imagination has so far been coming true under BN like the tolls, AP’s, bridges, water, electricity……. Please, please….. Not medicine please. Anwar, LKS please help me to stop my imagination from coming true.
March 31st, 2008 at 12: 04.42
who runs the ministry……?
the dg lah n his bunch of cronies in mmc……….
n the all napoleons in the hospitals……
who think they are all GOD…..
March 31st, 2008 at 12: 28.20
There is nothing wrong with change if change is for the better; as there is nothing wrong with check and balance between physicians and pharmacists (since being skeptics of human nature we’re always talking about check and balance in everything to avoid abuse) but the questions are whether the change is really for the better and whether there is really check and balance, ie who is checking and balancing who, the pharmacist checking the doctor or the other way around???
The main problem is that pharmacists intend to take away a traditional and pre-existing preserve of physicians (who are also trained in pharmacy) to dispense medicine and make money from it. However if pharmacists do not try to do so, what is the rationale and justification for their training and existence? So let the public and consumer good be the arbiter on this question on whether to separate dispensation of medicine from physician’s work to diagnose and treat – and leave that to pharmacists.
Pharmaceutical Society immediate past president John Chang argued that, left alone, doctors may prescribe brand names of drugs that are expensive or that they stock. Doctors ought to prescribe “generic names instead of brand names” so that patients will have a choice as advised by pharmacists to meet their budget and needs. “This allows the patients to play an active part in the healthcare system. The average person may never question prescriptions given by doctors. Present system allows doctors to abuse the system without the participation of the patients in decision-making”. There is no check and balance against abuse.
The argument that patients should be allowed to play an active part in the healthcare system is no big argument and may cut both ways: Pharmaceutical stores too – and not just doctors - can also stock and push their favourite brand names, stocked can’t they?
At heart of dispute is the question whether pharmacists are better trained than GPs to dispense. Now it is also true that a good GP familiar with drugs can do just as well. So where is the data to support either position??? Also on question of costs : is there any data to support argument that if functions of dispensing medicine are severed from GPs and given exclusively to pharmacists, the cost of medicine without sacrifice to medical needs is lowered vis-à-vis consumers???
Doctors argue for patient’s convenience. Dispensing doctors, who know about their patients’ health needs and have a full set of medical records, provide a highly valued, convenient, cost effective “one stop” – and immediate - provision of medicines. Rural areas have no pharmaceutical access.
John Chang however argued that that was only administrative. It was a matter of time, and that with demand pharmaceutical stores would open everywhere including rural areas. John’s arguments of course do not take into consideration whether it is cost efficient for pharmaceuticals to open in rural and sparsely populated areas. Whereas a clinic dispensing medical treatment and medicine and drugs could survive, a pharmaceutical store dispensing drugs alone may not, therefore inconveniencing the patient.
March 31st, 2008 at 12: 31.14
The bottom line is that if implemented - this will increase the cost of healthcare. Pay once at the doctors and another time at the pharmacy? At the moment, if i want to save a bit, I can go straight to the pharmacies bypassing the docs, BUT i would like to have the option to consult them without incurring additional costs.
March 31st, 2008 at 13: 18.54
easy n ingenious solution……….
let all tha people self treat………..
then die off peacefully
March 31st, 2008 at 13: 32.31
Oops….sorry to deviate a bit….
Just read in Malaysiakini that your DAP State assemblyman for Buntong has resigned from DAP purportely in protest of DPP Perak appointing just 1 Indian Exco member in the new govt.
My my my…..is this the start of something bad for DPP? Why DAP has to pick someone as a candidate who is actually a katak?
BN must be gleeing with saliva dropping out on the prospect of having a remote chance of grabbing the state govt…..
LKS pls do something about this….we don’t wan to see BN back in Perak Govt.
March 31st, 2008 at 13: 33.19
Presently, many doctors charge RM30-RM40 in bigger towns/cities for a “consultation-plus-medication” package. In smaller towns/cities, the charges might be RM20-RM30 because of lower overheads.
Not many people know this, but the doctors’ consultation fees, as prescribed by the Ministry of Health in the Fees Schedule of the Regulations 2006 (which was signed by the Minister of Health Chua Soi Lek in March 2006), allows for consultation fees alone, WITHOUT MEDICATION, to be RM10-RM35.
If we were to take an average, this would be something like RM25 for consultation fee alone.
If at present, a consultation-plus-medication package costs RM35-RM40, that would only leave RM10-RM15 for a patient to purchase medication from a pharmacy, under the new separation of consultation and dispensing.
Would a patient be able to buy all the medication which he presently gets from doctors, for RM10-RM15 at a pharmacy?
A bottle of cough mixture costs about RM10.
A strip of 10tablets of Panadol costs RM2-3, and most doctors prescribe 20tablets.
These two medications alone would cost RM10+RM5 = RM15.
What about other medications like nasal decongestants and antibiotics?
In summary, it would cost the patients more, to pay the doctor a pure consultation charge, and also have to pay for medication separately from a pharmacy.
Not many people understand that doctors are already giving a discount to patients off their consultation fees, simply because they are already making a margin off the medications.
Would doctors be still expected to give a discount off the consultation fees, if the margins off sales of medication are removed from them? Surely not!
Then there is also the inconvenience of patients having to go to a different location after seeing a doctor, to buy medication.
Imagine the extra effort and time taken - traffic jams, looking for parking lots and paying parking charges, or for those who take taxis and buses - the extra fare cost and time involved.
Can you imagine a patient who is not feeling well, and is alone, having vomiting or diarrhoea, or even a sprain or limp, having to look for a pharmacist after he has consulted the doctor?!
Perhaps, to overcome the problem, we should legislate that new pharmacies must NOT be allowed to be set up just anywhere! They MUST ONLY allowed to be set up right next to any existing clinics!
March 31st, 2008 at 13: 39.23
what happens to this AN Sivasubramaniam?
Wanna quit DAP…
Come on DAP people… we voted you people
not to see how the infighting of power, but
we want you people to be the representative
for rakyat!
Please always remember that your MAIN
purpose in joining politic is to SERVE rakyat!
I am really upset when I saw that news!
March 31st, 2008 at 13: 42.59
Off topic
breaking news.
Perak: DAP assemblyman quits
In a major blow to DAP, newly-elected Buntong state assemblyperson A Sivasubramaniam has quit the party because only a single Indian was appointed to Perak’s state cabinet.
In a letter to DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, Sivasubramaniam claimed that DAP Perak chief Ngeh Khoo Ham had reneged on his promise to appoint two Indian Malaysians in the state executive council.
“This is a major blow and a lie to the Perak Indian community,” stated the disgruntled DAP leader in his letter, a copy of which was made available to Malaysiakini. (from malaysiakini).
What is going on in Perak? Anyone aware about his before it becomes ‘major blow’? Previously DAP Perak has been ‘blamed’ for Po Kuan’s not to stand for GE 2008 and now this.
Any comment?
March 31st, 2008 at 13: 43.36
hey u guys,
can some of your please go write on Datuk Sharir Samad’s blog, he doesnt have a single comment yet.
He may begin to cry and tomorrow in the MSM he may say bloggers have not been fair to him at all.
Please la, have a heart for the man
March 31st, 2008 at 13: 50.14
By paying RM40-50 for a visit that c/w medicine you guys say its mahal????
Whats the huha abt the pricing for consultations? I am presently working in Vietnam and do you know how much we have to pay for 1 consultation visit?…Its from USD 50.00 onwards.
1 of my colleagues had flu and have to pay USD 60.00 for treatment wit medicine.
Another had to pay USD 150.00 for consultaion with medicine in another clinic which calls itself International Clinic.
How’s that?
March 31st, 2008 at 13: 51.53
to better understand this situation,u all should watch Michael Moore’s “sicko”,it tells alot about healthcare in the u.s. and all those profit making stuff. having said that however,let me warn u all that not *all* that he said is true,as he’s kind of a biased dude. i think u all know where to get it right ?
;-).
to really solve this issue as the citizen,it is really important for us to gather the facts straight and then present our case,by posting it in blogs,webpages,youtubes and such, instead of just shouting and bemoaning empty comments like most of the poster here are doing;seriously, do u ppl really thinks crying stuff like story of sleepy man and his cronies-lah,churning rumor and hear-say-lah,kerdil-lah,sugesting rally-lah is going to propel us forward ? lol !
change and revolution never came from empty bitc-hing alone…..
every time i was browsing this site i expect to be enlightened,by smart rational p.o.v,reasonable accusation,intelligent arguements with links to solid evidence,facts,pdfs,or at lease some plausible webpages that can back up thier claim,……….
but nope,it’s all just empty ramblings, like smeagroo’s claim of drug price difference between pharmacy and clinics,where’s the price list ? will ppl who are not living in malaysia take ur claim seriously ?even i who lives in malaysia didnt felt convinced by ur allegations,i kno there’s a slight difference,by how much ?
to force change,we must strike them where it hurts “them” most,which happens to be thier facial-dermis(been-poy),and the feeling of shame can only be inflicted by world community. as long as we fail to convince the world on what we claim,as long as we fail to expose thier shame to world community,change,if any,will come and pass surely,but sllllllllloooooowwwwwwwlllllllyyyyyyy.
it’s unfortunate that our goverment have to be shamed into action, question is,will world community put weight on what u think about ur goverment ?
however adressing megaman’s opinon that all doctors is equally knowledgeable as a pharmacist is not true. there’s some shabby “doctors” that are hired to run those 24hours franchise clinics(penang is full of them) who know alot,and i mean really alot *less* about newer or hi-quality/alternatives medications other that those that they had prescribed day in and day out for the past few years. conditions in some of these clinics are horrible,which i was “forced” to go due to the fact it was my company’s designated panel-doctor.damm……which is what health ministry should focus on in the 1st place.
March 31st, 2008 at 13: 54.00
Perak Chief Ngeh made 2 mistakes:-
1) Put 3 names when YB LKS proposed the name should be from winning coalition party
2) Now with this promise, 2 Indians, is this consulted and agreed by YB LKS? Sammy Vellu Sg. Siput is coming back (Ayam Kambing Bag).
Well it should be resolved as soon as possible, not for individuals (Sammy fight) but for the people who voted them.
March 31st, 2008 at 14: 02.59
From feedbacks and friends in Perak…especially DAP members, Ngeh is not the leader type and he is always promoting camps in Perak.
If you follow things in Perak DAP you will be able to see the truth in Ngeh. Wonder why in all your years in politics, LKS, you always seems to have this very big weakness in getting or selecting someone who is a good leader and can work for the rakyat and stick with you no matter what….I can think of one ie. Teng in Selangor…though he was sidelined as EXCO…he still stays back and cont to work for DAP and us rakyat. Syabas Teng. Siva should learn from Teng.
March 31st, 2008 at 14: 14.43
chanjoe i agreed with u, u sees, sometime YB LKS can’t do much becos perhaps of different view. U see, YB LKS would like to have candidates selected from PKR - DAP as MB, somehow a name from PAS was been submitted unaware by him, he’s angry too but nothing much can be done except to seek royal pardon. Anyhow, they said it has been resolved. And now with this event coming, (Sammy Vellu is gonna be the happiest man and granted some bullets now to shoot DAP) who allowed this to happen? don’t blame on YB LKS, is nothing to do with him. Is there a black and white promise or just verbal promise to the Indian assembly man that 2 will be taken as EXCO. I hope Ngar Kor Ming can help resolve this, as he’s pretty good and savvy in talking, he should be able to convince the Indians.
March 31st, 2008 at 14: 17.24
As a consequences that YB LKS have foreseen, now there are not enough places for the EXCO seats. Sure something must be fixed as a consequences, now PKR & PAS are happy as the expense of DAP. Quitting the party post is an act of protest against the DAP state leader, i hope Karpal Singh can calm down this man, so that he can continue to serve like Teng.
March 31st, 2008 at 14: 29.46
i think it is important for elected MPs esp those from the opposition to understand they are elected to represent the ppl, and to undo all the wrong that has accumulated in decades of wrongdoing IT TAKES TIME.
if this chap thinks that by having more indian reps (just like that of the Barisan Nasional) will help… he should re-think his decision. its better to have 10 ppl (of all races) wanting to change the plight of the needy indians, than to have 2 indians wanting to change the plight of the needy indians!
March 31st, 2008 at 14: 36.07
Will Siva will join MIC likely to join forces with Samy to help save the Indian community ?
What’s your take guys ?
March 31st, 2008 at 14: 37.09
It is a big shock to see this piece of news:
Buntong assemblyman quits DAP
PETALING JAYA: Buntong assemblyman A.Sivasubramaniam has quit DAP, leaving the DAP-PKR-PAS coalition government in Perak teetering on the brink of collapse.
Sivasubramaniam: ‘I cannot accept the decision made by the Perak DAP’
In a letter to DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng dated March 31, Sivasubramaniam said he had had lost confidence in the Perak DAP as it failed to fulfill its promise to appoint two Indian state executive council members.
He added the decision was a “big slap” in the face of Perak Indians and tantamount to deceiving the community.
“My victory in Buntong was a mandate given by the Indian community in the area, and therefore I cannot accept the decision made by the Perak DAP,” he added.
Sivasubramanian could not be reached for further comment.
Of the 10 exco members sworn in on March 29, six were from DAP, including one Indian representative, Sungkai assemblyman A. Sivanesan.
In the March 8 general election, the Opposition coalition won 31 state seats in Perak - 18 seats went to DAP, seven to PKR, and six to PAS - while Barisan bagged 28 seats.
With Sivasubramaniam’s resignation from DAP, the coalition is left with 30 assemblymen.
Maybe one of the Chinese exco can give way to him. I see merit in the Indians asking for more exco seats otherwise you will be doing what BN was doing all this while.
March 31st, 2008 at 14: 39.52
Teng handle it more professionally, Siva got pumped and Mr. Sammy Vellu is behind giving him a good pump. So now Mr. Sammy Vellu can talk big again for his MIC, come on Siva join MIC, it’s not too late another 5 yrs.
March 31st, 2008 at 14: 46.24
All of us were looking at BN ADUNs or MPs becoming kataks…and even PKR ADUNS & MPs were thought to be more easier to be being kataks….how wrong we are……DAP who everyone thought is solid and strong has started the ball rolling and I foresee more to come….
Whtas the big deal about 1 or 2 Indians as EXCOs? If thats the case, all Indians should leave Kelantan or Terengganu because there are no Indian EXCOs there at all.
Sivasubramaniam…you are voted by all races in Buntong…Indians, Chinese and Malays….If you say you are voted in by the Indians, then you are very wrong. If not for DAP you will not be elected too.
We challenge you to resign as ADUN and then see if Indians will vote for you if you are to stand as an Independent. Shame on you.
Everyone knows why you resign….be a man and resign right now as ADUN. let the people of Buntong reelect another person to represent them!!!!!
March 31st, 2008 at 14: 55.25
Everything comes so ngam for Samy. Ask for release of 5 Hindraf, then come this Sivasubramaniam quits.
Oi Samy, up will all your dirty tricks? I am pretty sure this Siva was bought over…
Money is the root of all evil!
March 31st, 2008 at 15: 03.28
Aren’t we supposed to appoint ‘able’ candidates to the Exco? Racial composition should be good but I don’t think that’s the first criteria for appointing candidates to the State Exco.
DAP’s Buntong State Assemblyman Sivasubramaniam should be ashamed of himself for such hasty action; that’s not the way to behave. Obviously winning the Buntong State seat has gone to his head but he forgot the people did not vote for him alone, but for “DAP”.
Sivasubramaniam should know that Party(collective) decision should come first and he must tow the line and not be thinking of himself alone!
A Sivasubramaniam, you have showed your impatience and true colors, time you say “goodbye” to a political career before it ever begins. It must be DAP’s greatest mistake to have appointed you a candidate for Buntong. I feel sad for the party, not you!
March 31st, 2008 at 15: 06.45
Another shocking news came up from Johor where the Ketua Bahagian UMNO compiled a list of JKR contractors who voted or assisted Opposition parties during the election and the letter and list was forwarded to MB of Johor Abdul Ghani to blacklist the list.
UMNO never learns. They still want to use the same arm twisting tactics again to instill fear into rakyat rather than using their real work and care to win over rakyat.
March 31st, 2008 at 15: 07.10
Events
1) YB LKS protest on MB appointment - Exco not enough to satisfy everyone
2) Initial proposed EXCO seat allocation rejected (DAP will have to sacrifice less seat)
3) Only 1 Indian Assemblyman elected the other was marginalized
4) Sammy Vellu (opportunist) still able to bounce back in MIC saying “u all opposition bloody fools, only me can see Pak Lah becos he only listen to me a BN”.
5) Siva is not bought over, jus protest against Ngee Koo Ham leadership, promised 2 Exco seats, now only get one, if I’m him, i will also resigned as I’m not serving the people I’m serving for dignity & principle.
Now S’langor Teng issues come back, if Teng not happy he can leave, why not? becos he’s a geniune hero compare to Siva. I must admitted some ppl are emotional, but been emotional is not a sin, if a pretty girl agreed to marry u, but then rejected it, how u will fell? This also allowed Mr. Sammy Vellu mouth to move again and again. He will summon all Indian to go against DAP in Perak, creating a chaos, all he need is proof that DAP marginalize the Indian by promising 2 exco but end up one. He can easily bounced back with wealth of fortune he amassed during his tenure as Works Minister. That’s why he won’t resign from MIC, as it can benefit from cases like this.
March 31st, 2008 at 15: 07.10
Its not even a vote for Sivasubramaniam. Its a vote for Barisan Rakyat comprised of PAS/DAP/PKR. Sivasubramaniam really sucks. He should resign and a by-election should be held to replace him.
March 31st, 2008 at 15: 13.07
Dear chanjoe, that’s not shocking news, the UMNO in Johore has been doing it since last year, mass blacklisting of class F contractor who are seen to help or sympathize the opposition party during the election.
Here’s how the fax looks like
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k278/v-k0/UMNOBlacklist.jpg
March 31st, 2008 at 15: 23.08
How many times we have to tell BR mp that we vote for BR instead of DAP/PKR/PAS?
March 31st, 2008 at 15: 26.24
Lets consider a few things here…
1) No doubt he was chosen by various races. He should consider all before arriving at a decision.
2) Weren’t we supposed to be moving away from the whole ‘Malay-take-care-of-malay, Chinese…Indian…’…doesn’t matter if its a monkey, as long as he/she does the job…for all.
3) That said, principles also matter…if indeed Ngeh promised as such, why is he reneging? Cooperation is based on trust, after all. And if that is lost, whats the point? Can Siva expect to trust him again when needed? Why should he?
4) Fong Po Kuan before the GE also pulled a similar stunt and rumours were abound about the Ngeh-Nga leadership. After all the drama, she came back. If she can throw a tantrum and get away with it, why the double stds with Siva?
..and are there grounds that this Ngeh fella could be the root of some of the issues??
We also need good and trustworthy leaders…otherwise, its BN all over again!
March 31st, 2008 at 15: 32.40
Ngeh & Ngar must convince the Indian, else there will be another “Hindraf” the Indian felt betrayed & will turn back to Sammy Vellu. Mr. Sammy Vellu looking at this opportunity will gather his supports again, ppl will still give him a chance as he’s now helping the Hindraf victim and start to attack DAP, saying they are cheaters they don’t walk the promise.
March 31st, 2008 at 15: 36.17
Fong Po Kuan is different. She’s most capable and able MP and that earned her the “cili-padi” nickname that she proudly acknowledges.
This A.Sivasubramaniam is practically an unknown, nothing compared to Fong Po Kuan. So don’t expect anyone to beg him to stay. To me he’s good riddance!
March 31st, 2008 at 15: 37.32
Again…we have big headed ADUNs who think they won their seats becuz of their own merits.
Sivasubramaniam….you won becuz of the Rocket symbol and the voters of Buntong voted for DAP becuz they wanted Opposition to represent them in Buntong not U…damn stupid blocked head!!!
Buntong seat went to DAP becuz its part of Opposition DPP during the GE. Its not becuz you are Sivasubramanian or for that matter you are an Indian.
Even if DAP put a Chinese candidate, he will also win. Who are you to threaten us rakyat and be so stupid just becuz you are now a YB. I advise you to retract your resignation and work with the DPP Perak state govt to help improve the Indians plight esp in Buntong area.
People will spit on you when they see in the streets….
March 31st, 2008 at 15: 42.46
Siva is working for Sammy to sabotage the integrity of DAP. There should be a vote in this blog, to see whether Siva’s action is reasonable or not.
March 31st, 2008 at 15: 45.16
typical malaysians, love to shoot from the hip…
didn’t LKS display the same level of petulance when PAS appointed MB??
I’m not saying that what he has done is right, but, in all fairness, DAP needs to check whats going on in Perak leadership.
And the statement that if they put a Chinese also, they would have won is a no brainer…but, it could have been a monkey as well and it would have won…not because ppl like DAP, but because they hate BN!
I voted the opposition not so much that I believed in them, but because I didn’t trust the ruling party. There is a difference, you know.
March 31st, 2008 at 15: 47.40
By resigning this SivaSubramaniam guy has let down the people of Buntong, be they Indians, Chinese, Malays or others. He is not that smart afterall.
He must resign from Buntong State seat. Let him stand as Independent, I guarantee he’ll lose his deposit. I don’t think he’ll get 200 votes!
March 31st, 2008 at 15: 48.32
Did some people hide in caves while the so-called ‘political tusnami’, swept across this nation? How else can you explain the idiocy of even someone contemplating this idea at this time?
What is the rational for this except to generate jobs for pharmacist? Do we have a lot of unemployed pharmacist around?
March 31st, 2008 at 16: 02.44
SivaSubramaniam sux.
Still having BN racial politics mentality. What is so important in having to have exco same skin colour as you, if an exco can take care of the others regardless of race and religion.
You shouldn’t have joined DAP. Better join your BN friends.
March 31st, 2008 at 16: 07.59
optimuz : that is the point.We can put anyone and still win in Buntong becuz everyone hated BN. The smart big headed alec Siva Subra dare to counter that the Indians voted for him but what about the others?
The voters in Buntong voted not for Siva Subra but for Barisan Rakyat.
I read in the Sun that Semi Value (now no more value) said the spouses of Manoharan & Khenghadaran visited him to ask for his assistance to secure hthe release of their husbands.
Is that true? Or is he there “blowing water” again? Can anyone tell us if thats true?
Maybe Siva Subra was so moved by Semi Value’s changed of heart that he resigned from DAP and wanted to join Semi Value to fight for Indian’s rights? Hmmmm….maybe there is logic for him to resign from DAP rite? I wonder…..I wonder……
March 31st, 2008 at 16: 09.11
The Accidental Hero - Lingam Video Guy
http://www.wagthedog-malaysia.blogspot.com
March 31st, 2008 at 16: 11.40
Separation of prescribing and dispensing is the way forward. Of course pharmacists will face resistance from the Drs in Malaysia as dispensing is one of the things that generates a lot of money for Drs. Drs and specialists get even better cost of medicines compared to pharmacies. That’s why there are a lot of Drs ordering in bulk and wholesaling to pharmacies, although Drs ARE NOT supposed to do wholesale, but is this highlighted at all?
March 31st, 2008 at 16: 13.20
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achtung ! achtung !
this post is another shining example of the malaysian mentality.
the post started with the title :
WHO RUNS THE MALAYSIAN HEALTH
MINISTRY.
some hours latter,it got hijacked,now it’s officially a “SivaSubramaniam”
comment dump.
this is why malaysian is always lagging behind,as soon as there are progress,or sense of progress,we got distracted,turn to something else…..inevitably forget what we had set out to do in the 1st place. lol !
March 31st, 2008 at 16: 21.37
WHO RUNS THE MALAYSIAN HEALTH MINISTRY
is not so important but why Siva quit that’s a big problem, is like participating in a joint lucky draw but only selected few get the prizes. If he did not get EXCO he quit, this shows, the DAP leader not all some of them just want power rather to serve the rakyat fair and square.
March 31st, 2008 at 16: 21.43
I’m a registered pharmacist, working as retail pharmacist for bout 5 years. Definately, Dr will not allow this dispensing right to be given to pharmacist, the reason is very simple
1) Dr dun want to let pharmacy to earn
2) Dr Study a lot pharmacology? (which only study 1 or 2 semester)
3) Dr know more drug than pharmacist?
(pharmacist spend 4 years study pharmacology, who know more?)
4) This is a trend if this country will like to move forward and not backward.
If anyone of u do attend those international conference very frequent, try to communicate with those oversea DR. I’ve personally know one Prof. Dr from india. Wht he told me very amazed me ‘ Your country no good, Dr should spend more time diagnosting patient and given more care to patient, not spending more time dispensing medicine which is a pharmacist job’
March 31st, 2008 at 16: 26.38
Ruling gov has not learnt a single thing from the 2008 GE-thats final-no need to argue about it.Health Ministry trying to copy the Indian Health Ministry kot? POhchee lah !!!
As for Sivasubramaniam- we voted for Barisan Rakyat not DAP/PKR/PAS !!! Remember…as an Indian, I dont mind who represents me as long as he is not corrupted ! Even if there are 3 or 4 Indians reps in Perak…we will only be happy if he is honest and dedicated to serve.But if our fellow Malay or Chinese brothers are willing to sincerely do their best without prejudice…I have nothing to complain.Maybe some sort of compromise could have done b4 you jumped into ‘resignation’! Now we lost the 1 Indian rep. for good.Are you really happy now? Or are you contemplating to join PKR? However, IF Ngeh DID promise to have 2 INdian reps….I wonder why Ngeh or uncle Kit did fulfill the promise?………Tuhan sahaja yang tahu ‘kebenaran’ yang tersirat dan tersurat’ wahai makkal ku di Malaysia !
March 31st, 2008 at 16: 42.22
My 2 cents, this arrangements of having doctors to diagnose and
pharmacist to dispense the medication sounds familiar and maybe
based on the winning formula of 1. Indah Water, 2. Fomema, 3.
Puspakom. All these money making cash cows seems spoken for
by ‘higher ups’, cornering all these ‘mesti untung’ businesses.
Correct me if I’m wrong.
March 31st, 2008 at 16: 50.37
I support the motion that pharmacists should dispense and drs focus on diagnosing and i’ll tell u why. Last year my father had a very bad case of cough and it lasted many months.
We saw many drs and tried many medicines, still the cough persisted. When my father dropped by a pharmacy to buy some more cough medicine, the pharmacist asked my dad if he was taking any medications. My dad was on a high pressure pill and the pharmacist suspected that could be the reason for the cough. He referred him back to his family dr to discuss a possible change in the medication.
When my dad went to visit the dr, the dr ask who told him that the cough could be caused by the pressure pill and when he heard it was from a pharmacist,the dr said it was rubbish and proceeded to give some more ’stronger’ cough medicine and antibiotics.
My dad then went to see another dr, and that dr promptly changed my father’s blood pressure pill. He confirmed that cough is an unwanted side effect of that pill.
From my experience, pharmacists are like auditors and i will support them in getting dispensing rights. Having 2 stops is not an inconvenience if safety is at sake. Sometimes, I worry that clinic helpers themselves aren’t even qualified. Not all drs know everything and even if they don’t some are too proud to admit and seek knowledge. What a dangerous combination. drs and pharmacists should work together instead of fighting over profits.
March 31st, 2008 at 16: 51.43
If the doctor can dispense the medicine what benefit is there for the patients to get them from the pharmacy. Yes the doctor may not physically handle the drug, but they ensure that correct drugs are provided. If the patient needs only to pay the services to one professional, the physician, why should he pay additionally for the services of a pharmacist? One cannot assume that there is a pharmacy next to every clinic, and it means that the patients not only have to visit the clinic, but to a pharmacy somewhere else most of the time. Why create unnecessary troubles for the patients?
Is profit motives the reason?
March 31st, 2008 at 16: 54.44
Pak Lah regime is to get things done at higher cost. RM 1 million project suddenly become RM 2 million project. A sick person go to clinic was charged RM 20 with medicine, now with the proposal, the sick person have to pay consultation fees RM 20 without getting any medicine to cure his ailments then he have to travel to town to find pharmacy by paying RM 10 for medicine (u think it is so cheap) this medicine prescription from Pharmacy will cost RM 50-100 also how abt. the cost of transportation to the Pharmacy?
March 31st, 2008 at 17: 00.25
Don’t fall for the trap of the indian who quit DAP, he’s not qualified to be in DAP, DAP is not BN, they are not selecting who to be in the exco based on race, but on their capabilities! I’m a voter in Perak too and I hope people will not fall into the “RACIAL TRAP”, it’s time to change our mind after 50 years!
March 31st, 2008 at 17: 01.59
In what way can the government keep drug prices low or at par with prices before the change?
Government in developed countries are struggling to control rising drug (and healthcare) costs. Whilst, pharmacies need to keep margins in check to remain viable given drug prices are at large controlled by the government. Drugs sold are largely subsidised by the government or generics are used as alternatives.
What is the role of the health ministry in pursuing this change?
Do they have the intention of being the “middle man” negotiating directly with major drug companies at relatively low price by bulk buying and selling directly to pharmacies at a gain? This may force pharmacies to sell at higher prices to the public. Or, the quality of drugs sold will have to be comprised?
How can the health ministry ensure that there won’t be a possible rise in healthcare cost given GPs especially private owned clinics will lose their income from drug sales which in part help to fund to keep consultation price low?
Will it be viable for GPs to continue to charge low consultation price if this change is in place? How can the ministry ensure there will not be closures of private owned clinics which play a role in filling in the deficiency of health care providers in the country? This may possibly result in even longer queues in government hospitals and some may be deprived of healthcare services as treatment/ consultation will need to be prioritised.
Or does the health ministry have the intention to replicate healthcare structure in developed countries whereby, the general public has to contribute a certain amount of their salary to support the countries’ burgeoning healthcare costs.
March 31st, 2008 at 17: 02.32
voice, why they put someone who is incapable to contest in the first place? anywhere, i do hope Ngeh Koo Ham and Ngar Kor Ming find solution to patch things up.
March 31st, 2008 at 17: 05.21
maybe the present of pharmacy really scare the s*** out of doctors.
Do u think it is easy for a pharmacist to open pharmacy next to the clinics?
I myself wanted to open my pharmacy situated in the same row of 3 clinics for public convenience but being denied. The owner first agreed to rent to me, but after knowing that i am going to open a pharmacy, he rejected me… Rumours saying that the owner was afraid of offending the dr.
Haha…So i end up open my pharmacy about 1km away from the clinics.
But i can tell u, the doctor’s patient still come to my pharmacy..haha…
Some answerable questions but not being answered…
1)Why dont let the public choose who they want to get their medicine from?
2)Why cant the doctor just write the prescriptions and give the patient a choice whether want to get it filled in the clinic or pharmacy?
3)Why the patient is not allowed to know the name of the medicine they r taking for? What if in an acute case of child poisoning, the medicine cannot be identified?
4)Why we cannot separate dispensing right?
I know, pharmacist know, doctors know, and if u think the public dont know? Think again..
U see why do pharmacies biz flourish in the first place even without doctor’s prescriptions?
But do the public have a choice? I mean a choice of getting the prescriptions and whether to get it filled in clinic or pharmacy….hahaha…
Last word: Just give me the d*** prescriptions…
March 31st, 2008 at 17: 11.42
I think they made a mistake to put him up, and after he win, the true colours of him come out, there’s always some unexpected things will happen in politic.
I’m confident that the DAP will deal with this matter properly.
March 31st, 2008 at 17: 17.20
The discussions as to whether the doctor or the pharmacist knows more about pharmacology (and therefore which drug suits a patient more) is not appropriate here. The doctor does not write on his prescription form “cough - up to pharmacist to prescribe best medication”. The doctor writes “benadryl” and the pharmacist has to give the exact medication. Hence the issue is whether the patient should get the medication from his/her doctor or take a prescription and go to the pharmacist for his/her medicine.
There is merit in splitting the prescription from the medication - but only if the pharmacists allow their bulk discounts to filter down to the patients. Doctors don’t get as much bulk discounts as the big pharmacies.
Why don’t we have a true free market - and let the patient decide if he/she wants a prescription alone, or have the doctor supply the medicine ? The doctor could charge RM30 for a prescription or RM 45 with medication. This way, the patient can never complain that he/she doesn’t have a choice and the doctor is generally indifferent.
March 31st, 2008 at 17: 24.31
AHILA,
I think you meant :
“However, IF Ngeh DID promise to have 2 INdian reps….I wonder why Ngeh or uncle Kit did not fulfill the promise? ….Tuhan sahaja yang tahu…”
- No, there must be more capable guys than this A.Sivasubramaniam, simple as that, as to why he was not selected.
I don’t think it’s fair to blame Ngeh. I am sure, much as he would like to have a more balanced racial composition in the Perak State Exco, there may be other factors he needs to consider. Furthermore, he too needs to tow the line and respect the wishes and opinion of other component party leaders in BR.
DAP should have no regret, good riddance to bad rubbish!
March 31st, 2008 at 17: 32.30
Godfather says:
Doctors don’t get as much bulk discounts as the big pharmacies.
You’re wrong. Drs will always get a better deal because they are the ones that initiate the treatment and start the patients on drugs. Companies always give Drs the best bonuses to entice them to prescribe their products.
March 31st, 2008 at 17: 37.33
The doctor won’t write expensive drugs, it will prescribe those affordable and effective drugs so that it won’t burden the patients so much. I knew a skin cancer doctor, he’s prescribed good drugs usually cost at least RM 200, but his drugs always work well.
March 31st, 2008 at 17: 49.26
Debacle after debacle.Remember the haste with which the Ministry of Health moved to remove the recognition of the Crimea State medical University? remember the furore that followed. Well, the Indian community never forgot and we showed our anger at the recent polls. Who was the man behind the move to remove the recognition for what were never truly strong reaons? Ismail Merican, the Director of Health. Remember the haste with which the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 was forced through parliament? who was the man behind it? Ismail Merican who was so forceful in defending it but quietly snuck away to a corner and left the ex- Health Minister to defend the fall out.This man was a reason for the Barisan Nasional losing badly in the general elections. Thousands have been made to suffer because of his irrational and publicity seeking decisions. A well qualified doctor is in jail on account of him! Now this controversy between doctors and pharmacists’. Just a fortnight after taking office as the new Health Minister, Datuk Liow Tiong Lai has been left embarassed by this sudden relevation that doctors would be relieved of the right to despense medication at their clinics. Chua Soi Lek was I beleive also in the same spot when the recognition was withdrawn from the CSMU. But as the Minister ,he was forced to defend the decision made solely by his DG. He was also embarassed when the doctor was sentenced to hail for a meaningless offence under the new private healthcare and facilities act. The impact of the act only hit home hard for Soi Lek when the doctor was jailed as he was all along saying the Act would not see such a thing happening. So, who is really running the Ministry of Health. Obviously it is not the Minister of Health, as he is not being effectively consulted. told or advised of matters that have far reaching implications. Clearly, Ismail Merican has usurped the powers of the Minister and has become a power unto himself in the Ministry. This arrogant civil servant uses a journalist in the NST to test all his ideas and also to defend himself. The NST must investigate this journalist and her relationship with Ismail Merican to ensure that the newspaper is not being used to advance his own crusades. Finally, I would also like to ask why ismail merican is still in service. Are there no capable offciers within the MOH to take over? If there are indeed no officers then the Government must be truly ashamed! But i seriously doubt if this is the case. Kick Ismail Merican out before he causes more damage to the MOH, the Minister and the BN Government. As fr as I am concerned, Ismail Merican, like the medicine he is used to dispensing, is past his shelf life.
March 31st, 2008 at 18: 26.42
Hey, Siva! pls use your common sense before taking such an irresponsible action. They voted you NOT because you are Siva or someone that only representing the Indians there. They (Indians, Chinese and Malays) voted you because of the party that you represented which is part of the Barisan Rakyat. If you think that you are there just to represent a certain race, then you are right in quiting DAP and pls VACANT your seat now and stand as an independent (or probably you can join your no value friend in MIC) in the by-election. This will prove your value in the eyes of the people in Buntong on whether they wanted you because of yourself or the party that you have represented in the past, ie the DAP also a colliation member of BR. Although I am not from Buntung or a member of DAP but I strongly believe that you have disappointed thousands of people in Buntung who voted for you on 8 March. Irrespective of whatever promises made to you by your leaders in the past (I think they should have their valid reasons for appointing only 1 Indian EXCO), you should learn how to behave as a junior and toe the line with the leadership and put behind whatever SELFISHNESS. EGOISM and MATERIALISM behind the Buntung people’s trusts and wishes. Pay them back by serving them well instead of BACKSTABBING them in return. DO you think that by appointing you as an EXCO or having 2 Indians in EXCO will serve the Indians better? How about the only one Indian cabinet minister in the current government? Should he quite as well? Siva, pls be more mature, the recent political tsunami had started to change everybody mindset that race-based political is longer important. Every colliation parties in the BR had began to tranform both internally and externally to suite the current political scenarios. If there are no gives and takes, do you think the opposition-controlled states especially Penang, Selangor and Perak could able the govt? So, pls think again for the sake of people in Buntong, Perakians as well Malaysians. Retract your decision now or vacant your seat immediately and you will not be re-elected again (you can play goft with no value friend). Prove me wrong!!!
March 31st, 2008 at 18: 37.12
I am quite perplexed by this debate. Can someone enlighten me as to the difference between Malaysia’s situation and the situation of other countries (like the UK, and saying ‘oh they are developed we are not’ not what I want to hear -_-) where medicine is dispensed at pharmacies which could justify the negative arguments regarding this matter?
There is one thing though that I think the gov needs to do if they are serious about this proposal and that is to strengthen or even enforce the role of GPs as the first point of reference for patients. I think GPs tend to suffer nowadays because ppl think it’s better to go straight to a specialist for any problems. A clear delineation of roles, and all else being equal, would merely put things (costs and profits) where they ought to be.
The strongest contention I see is an argument about the rise of costs to patients. I am not so sure whether this is true: my very simple knowledge of economics tell me that it can go either way depending on the particularities of our medical industry. Well, hopefully the gov sets up a regulator to regulate the prices; also, is medication provided by state hospitals subsidized? The range of medicine being subsidized must of course be increased-perhaps in this way the ‘poor’ won’t be as badly affected; I won’t presume to know much about this matter.
March 31st, 2008 at 18: 37.52
ADUN DAP Buntong di Perak keluar parti
31/03/2008 2:23pm
KUALA LUMPUR 31 Mac - Krisis kerajaan campuran di Perak masih belum selesai apabila menerima tamparan terbaru ekoran pengumuman Ahli Dewan Undangan (ADUN) Buntong, A. Sivasubramaniam meletak semua jawatan dan keluar dari parti itu.
Sivasubramaniam dalam surat kepada Setiausaha Agung DAP, Lim Guan Eng yang salinannya dihantar kepada media, beliau berkata keputusan itu dibuat kerana tidak puas hati dan hilang kepercayaan terhadap kepimpinan Pengerusi DAP Perak, Ngeh Khoo Ham.
Katanya, Khoo Ham tidak menunaikan janji untuk mengagihkan kerusi Exco kepada dua pemimpin India yang dianggapnya sebagai tamparan dan penipuan kepada kaum itu di Perak. - Utusan.
Im asking MB LKY to start a new thread on this! This is a total disgrace against people trust and vote. Im asking DAP to practise political maturity because since the general election, DAP had caused some problems toward Barisan Rakyat. It should stop blaming others ie PAS for their Islamic State pursuit and start thinking how to change rakyat’s view especially among malays that DAP is not a Chinese chauvinist political party. As since the general election, PAS is the only political party among the opposition that had exercised its utmost political refrain and maturity, the question lies whether DAP would learn from PAS….
March 31st, 2008 at 18: 46.05
Voice, u say that DAP is a party put up best candidate for Exco. Funny to say this we in Selangor have our most experience and best candidate Adun (YB Teng) being sidelined and Exco seat being giving to a 29 years freshie by name of Au Ean. Now we heard that DAP Perak are thinking to put this Indian Adun as Speaker. Wow !! all DAP doing is to put their sideline candidate as Speaker.
I personally think Indian community reserve 2 Exco in Perak. Before election we know Indian community have a lot of problems but after election all the problems seems gone. They feel being cheated.
What a way to move forward for DAP. A party being control by Lim father and son. Teach both of them a lesson. Didnt before election both of them said that they always listen to Rakyat voices, but after election, DAP CEC have all the say in picking Exco members.
“BN BOLEH, DAP LAGI BOLEH”
March 31st, 2008 at 18: 50.57
To YB Subra,
Anything should be settled in a proper manner, i mean through discussion and consultations with party leaders and by doing this you are of course being described as turning away from rakyat’s trust and vote. The reason why you won that seat is simply the rakyat NO-BN view, and not YES-SUBRA view…
However it is understandable that the Indians were promised 2 exco seats by Ngeh but in the end of the day, he just gave uguys 1 only. As Perak DAP leadership has been plagued by various problems ever since before the election when the Batu Gajah case, it is understandable that you revolt against their injustice. So im pointing out a suggestion over here…
1. if you still didnt think that Ngeh delivers his promises, just get out of DAP and enter PKR as a solution so as the trust and vote of NO BN given by the rakyat is respected. Plus this give another lesson for DAP to start showing to the rakyat that its not a Chinese chauvinist party.
2. I would like to remind and warn you that any move or attempt to enter BN/MIC will see you as turning away from rakyat’s trust and vote. And this distrust will cost you a lot in a very very looooonnngggg time.
Okay YB, make your move…
March 31st, 2008 at 18: 58.01
kslaw70,
I don’t think it’s fair for you to blame that the party is being controlled by Lim father and son. If it had been, I don’t think this A.Sivasubramaniam stands a chance at all to be selected to stand for Buntong State seat.
I understand Malaysian Indian population in Buntong area are furiously looking for him for the letdown; they find his action most irresponsible and suspect he has sold his seat.
March 31st, 2008 at 20: 00.39
He retracted his statement!
All good again… We need heart stopping moments in our lives to make things colorful and wonderful…
Make sure all have strong hearts, if not… end up like Zakaria
March 31st, 2008 at 20: 00.46
Yes, the problems of indians need to be addressed as soon as possible, but we have to give in some time to our elected representatives, as the parliament is not even started yet.
And A.Sivasubramaniam has retracted his resignation from DAP.
March 31st, 2008 at 20: 01.48
Sivasubramaniam just being an April’s fool, a day earlier.
March 31st, 2008 at 20: 09.42
The bottom line of the issue is SPECIALIZATION. Are we ready to bear the costs of specialization while savouring the benefits of specialization. Costs and benefits analysis must be professionally, objectively carried out before we mandatory reduce the pocket size of the doctors.
The crux here is we do not have right kind of candidate to do such demanding job. The ideal party should be Health Ministry, but they command 0 capability and creditability. So doctors shouldn’t worry too much if they want to splash deposit for latest model of BMW, the right of dispensing medicine remaining theirs.
March 31st, 2008 at 20: 11.36
I know this might not be an appropriate title to discuss on this Buntong stupid fellow. First of all, even if he retracted his resignation letter I still think DAP should fire him. How can a MP be so racist? How he ever know that Indian people won’t be getting help at Buntong area when the Exco don’t even start their work yet. Very sad that DAP still having this kind of person in them. I think Barisan Rakyat should really support the implementation of anti-hopping law as I heard SAUDARA Lim Kit Siang had push this issue in 1978 if I’m not wrong. Whoever jump ship no matter BN or BR they should vacate the sit and re-election should be held.
March 31st, 2008 at 20: 12.47
” In a dramatic turnaround, newly-elected Buntong state assemblyperson A Sivasubramaniam has retracted his resignation from DAP hours after he made the announcement today.” - Malaysiakini
A very wrong move, so he has now decided to retract his resignation. How can we have such irresponsible ‘kids’ as our Wakil Rakyat?! What a sandiwara but will he ever be trusted anymore by the rakyat who placed their trust and voted for him, or for that matter the DAP leadership? He should look at himself in the mirror! This guy has a very big ego and he has showed how easily he was able to point
fingers and blame the party leadership for his inability to get promoted(!!) …sigh!
March 31st, 2008 at 20: 21.01
Malaysian healthcare through the MOH is fast becoming a farce. The minister for health sevices and his ministry’s DG have got all their priorities mixed up, whether it is the ruling about the employment of Malaysian doctors from foreign universities which after being recognised gets derecognised at the whims and fancies of the MOH.
Doctors wishing to undergo specialist training within the country are also discriminated according to race. A certain race seems to be predominantly represented even if they do not merit to be in such a programme. World renowned specialist degrees from UK, US, Australia and other Commonwealth countries are not recognize because these specialists of Malaysian origin seem to have a different skin colour
The middle and the lower income groups are the ones who go to government hospitals and clinics and wait the whole day for diagnosis, prescription and medicine.
The well-to-do and affluent UMNOputras, the towkays from MCA and MIC have their 5 star hotel-like medical centres that cater for people with fat bank accounts. Just a visit to any of these centres would set you back by a few hundred ringgit for consultation and medication even for common colds!
Why is this unholy rush to help the pharmacies? As it is pharmacies are mushrooming all over the place because it is such a lucrative business. Is it the Ministry’s intention to set up another UMNOputra company to bleed the already poor?
Be prepared for a 2nd and more devastating tsunami if you are still blind and deaf to the plight of the rakyat.
March 31st, 2008 at 20: 33.31
The ministry of health , among many ministries had new buildings , office furniture
Every one is talking about buzz efficiency and effectiveness, customer satisfaction and bla bla….all becomes non sense because the ownership of all responsibility goes only to the politician’s whim and fancies as in all other ministries , a legacy trait of Bee End work and management culture and it is hard to rid them unless their policy makers get the fxxking boot and out for good.
THick skin and arrogant , always hides below the bureaucratic red tape always yearning for a overseas visit trip.
They can do Nothing for malaysian always on the reactive , a bunch of blood sucking idiots draining the our income taxes for the wrong usages and deployment.
Saya yang mengikut perintah rules okay
These Fxxxking so call policy makers eats and sleep best under pleasure.
Dont they ever heard ” IF it AIN”T ROSAK DON”T REPAIR IT”
March 31st, 2008 at 20: 39.16
Thanks to Mr. & Mr. Cruella…..
March 31st, 2008 at 20: 45.48
Maybe the government should put the money into science research and produce a device call Auto-doc. Auto diagnosis and auto prescription. Problem solved.
Sarcasm aside, the question of health and education is a tricky problem for every nation. Upon dissecting the question, the cause is always the same: poor or in this case, lousy management and power-abuse among the politician(what benefit can I gain from this…), business man(we should patent this med…). In the end, it’s always the people who are suffering.
March 31st, 2008 at 20: 50.00
Why aren’t you blogging about A Sivasubramaniam’s resignation (and his subsequent retracting of his resignation)? Is it because it is race-sensitive?
“Anyone who says that they fight for all Malaysians need to say (and act) that they are willing to trust in the leadership of another race, that they would be well cared for by another race, rather than bicker about racial representation.”
DAP needs to acknowledge that it plays race-politics as well.
Read the entire post here at:
http://myoe.wordpress.com/2008/03/31/flaming-perakians-and-the-whole-race-thing/
March 31st, 2008 at 20: 52.49
If anyone had tried getting any medication from any pharmacies, they will know that there are NOT a single phamacists on duty when you need one. As a matter of fact, I would say that there is a shaortage of pahamcists in Malaysia………so who may i know is the idiot who propose that we have to run all around town for some medicine knowing well that we wont be able to get hold of a pharmist in the firat place.
An idiotic proposal that could only come from a bona fide idiot.
March 31st, 2008 at 20: 54.10
Moving back to communal politics is a disgrace for DPP led government. Yes, the Indians have voted for a change through Makhal Sakhti. There are also calls by certain quarters to appoint Indian as Deputy MB. Why not ask for PM’s position?
As rakyat, we are expecting DAP to lead in the formation of a Bangsa Malaysia. For goodness sake please stop all racial demands. Indian will definitely be rewarded. We need solidarity in ensuring that BN is defeated and UMNO condemned to the core.
March 31st, 2008 at 21: 06.42
JUSTICE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED
March 31st, 2008 at 21: 07.08
HINDRAF 5
JUSTICE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED
March 31st, 2008 at 21: 07.21
I read with interest the comments posted. Many were by person unfamiliar with the medical profession (yes, that includes, pharmacist, nurses etc). Even supposedly learned doctors have some misguided understanding of the role of pharmacist and I would like to rebuke them here:
From the doctor:
1. Pharmacist doing the job of doctors. The pharmacist is NOT SUPPOSED to do the job of diagnosis and treating patients. Their sole responsibility is to dispense what the doctor prescribed. So Dr. Drmaharajahrk concern is totally misplaced.
2. While doctors spend 5 or 6 years in university, they studied many other things like anatomy to cardiology to Psychiatry to surgery to pharmacology (how drug exert its action in the body). On the other hand, pharmacist spends their entire 3 or 4 years in university studying about medicine and yes, they studied a LOT more than doctors on pharmacology. So while it’s correct to say a doctor should know his pharmacology, a pharmacist should know far better.
3. Dr. Drmaharajahrk mentioned about non-qualified person dispensing medicine. I totally agree with him because I think all those doing the dispensing in the clinic are From 5 or 6 school leavers so don’t bother asking her about drug side effect or to take your medicine before or after meal.
4. There are not enough pharmacists in some rural area. The same can be said of not enough doctors in some rural area as well. So does that mean that the sick should not be treated by anyone else beside the doctors? And from what I understand, this pilot project is only to be carried out in major towns with sufficient pharmacies and to even oppose that smack of preservation of self interest at the expense of the patients.
To the layman:
A. Safety reason. Doctors are also human so will make mistakes. If you doubt the need, just go onto Internet and google “dispensing mistake”. Therefore, we need an extra layer of checking on what’s being prescribed. And universally, the best person to do that job is the pharmacist whose entire training is focused on medicine, their actions, their interaction with various other drugs, their proper usage and dosage, their proper handling and storage. When I was in UK, I read a news report whereby a patient was given excessive dose of some migraine drugs resulting in amputation. The court ordered the doctor to pay 60% of the compensation and the pharmacist the other 40% because he failed in his duty to check the mistake of the doctor.
B. Quality of care given. When a doctor charges you flat RM30 for consultation and medicine, there will be a huge incentive to cut corners. For example, I notice doctors in Malaysia typically give you 3 days supplies of antibiotic. That’s against doctor’s ethic because that’s insufficient leading to antibiotic resistance (go on Internet to see the huge danger this poses). Overseas, they typically give you 5 or 7 days so the cost of medicine will naturally doubled. So expect to pay RM50 instead of RM30 should he be giving you sufficient antibiotic.
C. Quality of care given again. Pharmacist will be duty bounded to tell the patients everything he wanted to know about the medicines he is taking. It’s his duty to tell you and your right to scold him should he don’t. To tell you about the medicine’s side effects, the best time to take the medicine, the do and don’t, possible interaction with certain foods, suggest alternative formulation (tablet or liquid or suppositories) etc.. Are you getting that kind of care nowadays? In Western countries, they do. So what the West does is not all automatically bad like some suggested. Not if you think the right to know is a bad thing.
D. Increased cost. Yes there will be an increase because I have not come across a professional engineer, architect, doctors, accountant, nurse, lawyer, banker and not even your favourite roti cani cook working for free so why should the pharmacist?
E. Increased cost. No because for the same drug, there are many brands with different cost just like a Channel dress will definitely cost more than one you get from pasar malam even though they serve the same function. Take for example Panadol (Branded name aka Channel) and Paracetamol (same thing or Generic name aka pasar malam price). The price different is 10 folds. With doctor, you don’t get to choose whether it’s the expensive Branded or dirt cheap Generic. Heck, with some doctors, he wouldn’t even tell you the name of the medicine. With dispensing by pharmacist, doctors will be duty bounded to write the name of the medicine on the prescription. That way, not only does the pharmacist knows, you get to know what you are taking as well. The pharmacist can also give you a choice of the expensive Branded or the dirt cheap Generic and let you decide and therefore, pay accordingly.
I am disappointed with LKS who should have listened to the views of doctors and pharmacists before opposing. Guess old habit dies hard and simply oppose everything for the sake of opposition. Shameful.
March 31st, 2008 at 21: 26.37
LKS & Kula, what are your comments? Please keep us rakyat and loyal DAP & DPP supporters posted whats the situation status now?
Kula was the one who strongly nominated SivaSubra as candidate for Buntong but now diam diam and kept us in suspense.
This is not helping the just cause of DAP and DPP.
Pls response.
March 31st, 2008 at 21: 34.44
The foolish acts that this Sivasubramaniam has shown us that the choice to leave him out of the exco list is downright right! This is not the issue about the equal representation of Indians community (we already have Sivanesan), but rather about his personal selfish gains which he has been rightfully denied of.
March 31st, 2008 at 21: 46.04
Even if he retract his resignation, his term is as good as terminated and he should only be allowed to serve and service his Indian voters for 1 term only. No more of such character.
Elected not even 1 month old and already started to turn coat. Its true that its lucky he was not appointed an EXCO or else more damage would have been done.
Well, it seems Perak DAP Perak is jinked to have outburst of stupidity as shown by 1stly, Fong Po Kuan, then 2ndly LKS and now Sivasubra.
Please put a stop to all these nonsense and act wisely. Count to 10 before you spurt out your next outburst.
Thank you.
March 31st, 2008 at 21: 51.28
Is Mr. Liow Tiong Lai a qualified doctor? Is the nation really incur a severe brain drain that there are no other better talents available to be promoted as the Minister of Health? Mr OKT must be highly accountable if the health system in Malaysia deteriorates due to his promotion system based on party loyalty instead of meritocracy.
March 31st, 2008 at 21: 58.24
This Sivasubramaniam is an opportunist, that’s all.
Yes, he should look at his face in the mirror whether he is deserve a seat in the Exco. So easy arhh, for a jobless guy, malu the BR government lah.
He should thank the DAP leadership for their magnanimous gesture, still talked him into retracting his earlier decision.
If not for the BR Govt’s position hanging by a thread of 30 seats against BN’s 29 in the Perak State Assembly, as a result of his departure, I think the DAP will tell him to go fly kite! But resign first.
March 31st, 2008 at 22: 08.12
So now he’s holding the Perak State BR Government ransom? This is the calibre of Wakil Rakyat DAP has for Buntong?
March 31st, 2008 at 22: 47.32
If anything, the Ministry of Health should do is to ABOLISH DUTIES AND TAX on medication; if they really want to help the Rakyat!
Do you know how much is the price some medication. A person with a heart condition or high cholesterol, or diabetic could expect to pay between RM20 to RM5 per dose, and most times its a least two dose a day, imagine RM5×2x30=RM300 per day minimum,
Why is our politicians especially the ones in BN always conspiring on how to rip us off instead of fighting to reduce cost of living for those in need?
March 31st, 2008 at 23: 02.42
I think we can tolerate a dual system.
Doctors can still provide medicines but perhaps the patient can opt not to get from the doctor. This means the doctors’ bill should have separate charges for consulting and medication so that the patient knows the details.
The doctor should also give a prescription for drugs that have been prescribed allowing for a 3-months supply for long-term medical conditions.
One aspect of this problem that has not been discussed is that it is quite easy to get prescription drugs from pharmacies that know you even without prescriptions. And some pharmacists will do a quick diagnosis for common ailments to recommend medications.
March 31st, 2008 at 23: 36.26
Which MoH approved this arrangement? Current or previous? The choice should have been left to the patients. With the doctor, it could be a little cheaper since he has also charged consultation fee; Whereas with the pharmacist, it could be higher, after all, he can charge only for the medicine sold.
MoH, just leave it to the patients to decide, you don’t need to interfere!! F…K off !!
April 1st, 2008 at 01: 15.39
The best way to get cheap medicine is to do away with doctors and pharmacist all together. Most drugs should be made available to anyone who wishes to buy them. If somebody wants to kill himself by self medication so be it. It is his choice. The country is better off with one less stupid idiot.
April 1st, 2008 at 02: 41.14
Angus, i still think that doctor should allow the dispense of medicine but with a certain scale. Maybe for instance we set a scale of medicines from 1 to 10. Doctors are allowed to dispense for example medicine in the range on 1 to 5 for instance. I mean don’t expect patient to go and see doctor for fever, then have consultation have to go pharmacist and get medicine right? Troublesome..
Just my 2 cents!
April 1st, 2008 at 06: 33.24
Doctors spend only part of his 5 or 6 years university time studying medicinal compound but pharmacist spend his entire 3 or 4 years studying medicinal compound. Therefore a pharmacist should know a LOT more than doctor on medicinal compounds. He has legal and professional responsibility should harm comes to patient.
Doctors are human and do make mistakes. I surfed and there are far too many reports of patient being harmed by wrong medication. The job of a pharmacist is therefore, to act as a safety device to prevent those mistakes. Like every other profession, he should be paid for that service.
April 1st, 2008 at 06: 41.10
Firstly….Malaysia Health systems have been stuffed for 50 years thanks to UMNO-BN.
2ndly - MMA wants to control their turf, power and $$$$$ (a legacy of UMNO-BN mentality) from pharmacy dispensing.
3rdly - Pharmacist after years of being ignored and just act as Sales people is TOO insulting to their hard earned degree. Therefore wants to maintain a global status quo….where Pharmacist make and dispense. They are specialist on medicine per say!
A doctor SHOULD can prescribe but Never should dispense. A Pharmacist should never consult but only prescribe.
Unfortunately in all these its the doctor who are GREEDY….they want the cake and eat it all. WHen they cannot cure you with their “sub-prime” medicine they ask you to go to chemist and get better stuff. There is no control of the Shelf life of all Doctor’s medicine…….cheaper is not necessary better.
In the mean time should a Pharmacist with 4 years of Specialist training be confined to sales job…….is this the direction for a better Malaysia…..certainly not!!
Malaysian Doctors have also lost their Moral high ground where they have put $$$$$$ above health. In specialist hospital…they purposely keep people alive for a period so as to make more $$$$$ as you stay there longer….Kind of False hope to burn your money…..believe me Doctors Practice too needs a Royal Commission……like the Judiciary….etc.
April 1st, 2008 at 06: 49.39
This blog confirm full of doctors one. U see every time something on health care pops up on this blog, sure got the highest number of response one.
Doctors can be quite bitter at times, maybe too smart kua, as the saying goes ignorance is bliss… doctors are not ignorant, maka no bliss.
MOH must use brain and think, is Malaysia suited for this kind of system. Many Malaysian Private GPs are struggling to make a living, if you deny them even the little bit of money they earn out of selling some pain killers and antibiotics, how are they going to survive?
Tolongla wei, doctors life bad enough la… you DG don come make things worse can or not?
April 1st, 2008 at 07: 47.34
Three things I need to comment here. The first one is about this doctor/pharmacist issue. I am trying to put myself in a scenario like this. I am very sick. My fever has a temperature that is near 102. If this was not bad, I am also suffering from chills and body aches. I am taken to a GP to have a look over. After the check up, I am given a prescription to get my medications from a pharmacist. As soon as my car reaches the main road, there was a hugh traffic jam which is so uncommon in KL. I have to bear the suffering in the car until I manage to find one pharmacist nearby, and it took me almost 45 mins to reach the outlet. Upon arrival at the pharmacist, I still have to wait because the staff have to attend to customers buying non-medical products in the shop. I was told that today is the dispenser’s off-day and that I will be attended to by one of the ordinary (read “untrained”) staff. Incredible as it may seems, but the scenario is real.
In fact, what I would like to know is, who is this Liow Tiong Lai? Is he qualified enough to head the Health ministry? Was he in any medical practice before entering politics? During the recent GE, these BN guys have been telling the rakyat not to vote for the opposition as they don’t have experience in administering the state. Now we have one bloke who has no medical background and running a health ministry?????? Someone must be joking ……..
Finally, our friend Sivasubramaniam. The BR has been voted in to run the state on a multiracial platform, so for heaven’s sake, think multiracial and not Indian. Although we are glad that you have rescinded your decision to quit, but patience has its virtue. We have a long struggle ahead of us and we must stick together no matter what. Being new in managing a state, there are bound to be teething problems. I guess the best remedy is have a chat with the party leaders concerned to have your views aired. Quite frankly, being a Chinese Malaysian, I don’t care even if the state exco is made up of 10 Indians or 10 Malays or 10 Senois or 10 Negritos. So long as we have good people running our state and that we are not ripped off in the process, I can then sleep peacefully at night.
April 1st, 2008 at 08: 00.10
Mr. Lim,
If the outcome is unfavourable , this can impact the society at large. The middle income group will bear extra financial burden, whilst the poor and the needy will be hit worst.
As it is, a large number of these group of people are deprived of good and affordable healthcare. There are cancer patients who are too poor to seek medical help whilst there are doctors who out of kindness are able to charge the poor lower consultation and drug prices via the gains from drug sales. What is the objective of the health ministry in pursuing this change?
April 1st, 2008 at 08: 19.01
I don’t think we are ready to have such a system implemented. Will a pharmacy open up a dispensary in a kampung with just say 5000 people? Who (pharmacist) would like to be based there?
April 1st, 2008 at 08: 28.00
Many people talked about conveniences but that’s often at odds with safety.
For maximum convenience, we should allow any Tom, Dick & Harry and bomoh and sinseh next door to do the diagnosis, treatment and and dispensing of antibiotic etc. Too much trouble having to go see a doctor that could be miles away.
For maximum safety, we should only allow qualified doctor do the diagnosis and treatment and let the qualified pharmacist do the checking of prescription for possible mistake.
April 1st, 2008 at 08: 30.55
Talking about unqualified person doing the dispensing at the pharmacy. I thought that’s what going on in doctor clinic with the young girl doing the dispensing. Try asking her more about the medicine like what’s it for, best time to take them, what are the side effect I should look out for and likely to draw a blank. But it sure is conveniences and not having to find a pharmacist to ask those questions.
April 1st, 2008 at 08: 40.49
When tomorrow come, we should change the Federal Govt. for burdening the Rakyat, all these Federal appointed Ministers are giving more trouble to Rakyat rather than help ease the burden especially when globalization is in the brink.
Do u still want to vote for BN? for higher cost?
April 1st, 2008 at 08: 46.37
some of us seem to think that doctors are some kind of super humans who can find cures for all your ailments. Wake up man! As a thinking human, your should be able to understand your own body better. I have seen too many doctors dispensing potent drugs to the ignorants for quick cure. They are not the exceptions, they are competing for sure cure!! Maybe you can find a small % of them sincerely trying to advise the truth.
I came across an incident of a young man who woke up to find his 87 year old mother suffered a stroke. Panic, he sent her to the private hospital. Within the stay at the hospital, she was operated 4 times and the family was landed with a bill of nearly 100k!!.
When the sister related to me the incident, I asked her what car the specialist was driving? Let me guess! Must be Porchse! Indeed he owned 2!! according to my friend.
Would anyone in his right mind seek to put a 80 plus patient throgh 4 major operations in such condition? Trying to find cure??? B…S Nothing but $$$$ was right infront of the eyes of the doctor. I did tell her that they should bring up the case or just lea