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  • 1Malaysia clinics to go on operating without doctors

    Malaysian clinic gets overwhelming response

    By Koi Kye Lee and Melissa Darlyne Chow

    KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - Many people have been seeking treatment at the Kerinchi 1Malaysia clinic here since its launch on Thursday.

    There were more than 75 patients yesterday alone, most of them children.

    A patient, Zainab Imam Din, 77, said she walked to the clinic because it was near her house.

    "I am happy that the clinic is near my house. I also did not have to wait too long for my turn," said Zainab, who also praised the clinic for its efficiency.

    The clinic provides services like check-ups for common illnesses such as headaches, fever, cough, asthma and conjunctivitis.

    The clinic's assistant medical officer, Iszuan Cabrini Muhamad, said that due to the overwhelming response from the residents and those in the neighbouring areas, some medicines like cough syrups and ear drops were out of stock.

    Iszuan added that most of the patients sought treatment for common sicknesses such as cough and fever.

    "The only emergency case that we encountered was before the official launch where a pregnant woman came with certain complications.

    "However, in such cases we usually refer the patient to the hospital immediately."

    Meanwhile, Danish Chai, 33, who brought his 5-year-old daughter to the clinic, felt it should be ever ready with new supply of medicines.

    "The environment in the clinic is very good and it is convenient for the residents in the neighbourhood.

    "But they have to be prepared with extra supply of medicines because of the response the clinic is receiving."

    In George Town, patients from all walks of life have been going to the two 1Malaysia clinics on the island - in Jelutong and Sungai Ara.

    In the busy part of Jelutong, which serves the urban poor of the northeast district, the clinic has seen more than 40 patients since it opened on last Wednesday.

    Senior assistant medical officer E. Kalimuthu has been kept busy since the launch of the clinic.

    Assisting him are medical treatment assistant Lim Guat Hong and public health nurse Rohayu Mohd Adnan.

    Kalimuthu's check-up room is what he would call a "one- stop centre", where he sees the patients and it also has a pharmacy corner.

    He said the clinic was set up at a shoplot in Jalan Jelutong to cater to the urban poor living in the area.

    "Patients can come in, register, get themselves checked and get their medicines -- all within 15 minutes," he said yesterday at the clinic.

    So far, the patients he has seen came with complaints such as body aches, mild injuries, headaches, fever, sore throat, cough and mild abdominal pains.

    "There were also those who asked for their blood pressure and glucose levels to be checked."

    For more serious cases, he said they would provide basic emergency treatment before referring them to Penang Hospital.

    Kindergarten teacher Ang Ah Hwa, 50, who had cough and flu, said she decided to come to the clinic as it was open during the weekend.

    "The consultation fees are also very low."

    The clinic in Sungai Ara had seen some 25 patients since it opened on Thursday.

    Public health nurse Erlly Kasmuni said the low number of patients was probably due to a lack of awareness of the clinic's existence, noting that the number might increase after a month.

    Senior assistant medical officer Lim Tay Sun and medical treatment assistant Roshida Mat Tahir are the other two staff in the clinic, situated in a shoplot in Tingkat Kenari 5.

    Retiree Nathan Subramaniam, 61, who was the first patient at the clinic yesterday, said he came to the clinic as it was near his house. He came to seek treatment for flu and cough.http://health.asiaone.com/Health/New...10-190809.html
    "The only security we have is our ability to adapt."

  • #2
    1Malaysia clinics to go on operating without doctors

    Source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp...809&sec=nation
    Published: Tuesday January 12, 2010 MYT 12:13:00 PM
    Updated: Tuesday January 12, 2010 MYT 6:09:55 PM
    1Malaysia clinics to go on operating without doctors (Update)
    By TEH ENG HOCK and SHARON CHEW

    Liow: 1Malaysia clinics to continue operating without doctors

    KUALA LUMPUR: 1Malaysia clinics will go on operating without doctors.

    Patients with serious illnesses would be referred to hospitals and polyclinics, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

    Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said although he understood the concerns of the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA), the country was facing a shortage of doctors.

    ?It is our intention to have doctors at all clinics. But in reality, we do not even have enough doctors in hospitals.

    ?This does not mean the people should be deprived of medical services. Medical assistants and nurses can help out here,? he said.

    MMA president Dr David Quek had expressed concern over the 1Malaysia clinics, citing that clinics should be manned by registered medical doctors.

    Dr Quek said that clinics run by medical assistants and nurses could lead to poorer standard of healthcare.


    Liow said he had met with representatives from MMA on Jan 8 to address their concerns.

    ?The MMA and the government have the same objective, which is to improve the standards of health services.

    ?We are short of doctors, even in hospitals and the big clinics. So doctors, and also locums, will be posted there.

    ?If patients have a serious illness, they should be referred to hospitals and polyclinics. 1Malaysia clinics are only for light illnesses, such as cough and cold,? he said.

    Liow said since the 1Malaysia clinics were opened last week, he had been receiving positive feedback with many quarters asking for more clinics to be opened.

    ?We will stick to the 50 first and evaluate its performance. Now, 44 had started operations, and the remaining six will open by the end of the month. The delay is due to renovation works,? he said.

    Liow was speaking to reporters after handing out RM2mil each to the Tung Shin Hospital and the Chinese Maternity Hospital Tuesday.

    He said the two hospitals, which are non-profit oriented, had an excellent record of service and hoped the contribution would help them to continue serving the people.

    On a request by the hospitals to have their assessment tax waived, Liow said he would make an appeal with Federal Territories Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Zainal Abidin.

    ?We give them subsidies, so it doesn?t make sense to tax them,? he said.

    Tung Shin Hospital vice-president Tan Sri Tee Hock Seng, who is also MCA treasurer-general, welcomed the government contribution and said the monies would be used to upgrade medical services to the poor and needy.
    "The only security we have is our ability to adapt."

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: 1Malaysia clinics to go on operating without doctors

      Source: http://news.brunei.fm/2010/02/13/ove...aysia-clinics/

      OVER 103,000 PATIENTS VISIT 1MALAYSIA CLINICS

      NAM NEWS NETWORK Feb 13th, 2010

      KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia Feb 13 (NNN-Bernama) ? The 1Malaysia Clinic has received tremendous response from the community, with 103,072 people benefiting from its services since the first clinic was opened on Dec 28 last year.

      Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai said this figure was recorded from then until the first week of February, showing an average of between 80 to 200 patients daily at each clinic.

      The 1Malaysia Clinic, officially launched by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak on Jan 7, now had 50 branches operating nationwide, he said.


      Speaking to reporters after visiting the 1Malaysia Clinic located at the Desa Rejang People?s Housing Project in Setapak, here Friday, Liow said most patients were satisfied with the service they received in addition to it being close to them.

      Since it began operations, Liow said only one heart disease case was detected at a branch in Jelutong, Penang and one Pre-Eclampsia pregnancy condition in Kerinchi.

      He said they had not received any written complaints and the ministry continuously evaluated and collected information on the people?s views of the services provided.

      The 1Malaysia Clinic was established to facilitate medical services for the community, especially those in urban areas where the population density was high and existing clinics were congested.

      Among the services offered were for light treatment, follow-up on chronic diseases, notification for infectious diseases, stabilising a patient before referring them to the nearest hospital for emergency cases, laboratory services and medication dispensary.

      Meanwhile, he said the current dengue situation was at an alarming level with 1,100 cases and 18 deaths reported.

      ?I am not happy with this development because the rate is high. I have directed the Health Director-General (Dr Mohd Ismail Merican) to ensure that we fight this epidemic,? he said.

      He also advised those planning to go on holiday and leave their homes during Chinese New Year to empty out any containers, such as vases, that could breed aedes mosquitoes or mix anti-larvae solution in the water.

      Speaking on Influenza A (H1N1), Liow said the situation was reported to be stable with only 15 to 20 cases a week.

      He also urged those in the high-risk group such as senior citizens, pregnant women, the obese and those with chronic diseases to obtain free vaccine shots from any of the 87 selected government clinics.

      Meanwhile, Federal Territories and Urban Well-Being Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin who paid a visit to the Kerinchi 1Malaysia Clinic Friday said he was pleased with the positive response received.

      He said they should increase the number of 1Malaysia Clinics in Kuala Lumpur as over 100 patients came in for treatment daily.

      He added that the welfare of clinic staff must be taken into consideration, as the number of patients was high when compared to the number of staff.

      ? NNN-BERNAMA
      "The only security we have is our ability to adapt."

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: 1Malaysia clinics to go on operating without doctors

        February 11, 2010 10:55 AM

        1Malaysia Clinics A Lifeline For Rural Denizens

        By Mohd Razman Abdullah

        JELI, Feb 11 (Bernama) -- There was a time when Latif Wan Hamad had to spend three hours to reach the Jeli Hospital for his routine check-up.

        Though the hospital is only 25 kilometers away, it is an arduous journey for the 74 year old farmer from Kampung Kuala Lah who suffers from a heart problem.

        "The distance may not look far. But this is a remote location in Hulu Kelantan and has no bus service. I have to walk five kilometres from the village to the main road. Have to wait for a kind hearted driver to give me a ride or board an illegal taxi. At times I have to wait for hours to get a ride.

        "It is really tiring to wait, and what more I have to wait for my turn to see the doctor and then it is the same hassle all the way back home," he told Bernama.

        But all that is history for Latif because there is a 1Malaysia clinic now near his village in Batu Melintang that was opened on Jan 31.

        WHAT A RELIEF

        With the 1Malaysia clinic, it now takes Latif half an hour only to reach the place for his routine check-ups.

        "Only now I feel relieved. Previously I felt that my knee caps might come off because of walking, standing and waiting," he said.

        At present, even when he does not feel well he easily walks to the 1Malaysia Clinic.

        "Though the clinic is housed in a building no bigger than a village house, it is a welcome relief for the rural denizens of Batu Melintang who no longer need to walk for miles, wait and stand for hours just to seek treatment for ordinary ailments.

        "And moreover the clinic is open during weekends and public holidays. Where can you find such facility in rural parts of Kelantan. This clinic is god's gift to villagers around Batu Melintang," noted Latif.

        OPEN FROM 10 AM TO 10 PM

        Another nearby villager, Salmah Mohd Noor, 46, who has eight children noted that the absence of a clinic nearby had made life difficult especially when she does not own any mode of transport.

        "It is very worrying especially when more than one child falls sick at the same time, it is so difficult to get them to the hospital especially at night.

        "Just imagine I have to carry the sick child and leave the rest at home. Then I have to wait for several hours at the Jeli Hospital. It is a tiring and difficult journey," he said.

        "Once three of my children fell sick at the same time and there was no way I could take them to the hospital so I resorted to the medicine sold at the sundry shop.

        "This clinic here is a big relief, what more when it is open from 10 am to 10 pm and manned by amiable medical assistants and nurses, thanks to the government," he said.

        CONCERNED ON THE PEOPLE'S NEEDS

        Latif and Salmah are among the 10,000 villagers around Batu Melintang who are enjoying 1Malaysia clinic facility.

        The Jeli Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed noted that the 1Malaysia clinic in Batu Melintang, is the first such clinic in the rural district and it stands testimony to the government's concern on the people's welfare.

        Mustapa who is also the International Trade and Industry Minister said though the 1Malaysia Clinic is to overcome crowding at the medical facilities in town but the government provided an exemption by opening one such clinic in the rural district.

        "The federal government is concerned with the needs of the people in rural areas especially the interiors of Jeli as there are no nearby medical facilities.

        "Therefore we requested the government to allocate one of the 50 1Malaysia Clinics proposed all over the country for the needs of the people in this area," he said.

        FOUR IN KELANTAN

        The 1Malaysia clinic here is the first of such clinic in rural area compared with another 49 clinics all over the nation including three others in Kelantan with all of them in towns, noted Kelantan's Deputy Director of Health Dr Wan Mansor Hamzah.

        The clinic provides a lifeline for nearby villagers who are mostly low income earners.

        "Previously the villagers who have little means had a tough time to reach the Jeli Hospital, and they don't have to fret anymore as there is already a 1Malaysia clinic that is open seven days a week," he said.

        According to him, the federal government has allocated a total of RM10 million to establish the 1Malaysia clinics all over the nation and Kelantan has four of the 1Malaysia clinics - Jelawat in Bachok, Pengkalan Batu in Pasir Mas, Sri Cemerlang in Kota Baharu and Batu Melintang in Jeli.

        -- BERNAMA

        Source:http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/ne....php?id=475009
        "The only security we have is our ability to adapt."

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