All 1 Malaysia clinics must have good staff members

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw calls on the Health Ministry to ensure that all 1 Malaysia clinics have good staff members who truly care for the people.

We shall follow up the performance of these clinics. What is important is that none of these clinics would end up as dilapidated offices with scarcely any patient.

On 23 October, 2009, the 2010 Budget gives annual allocation of RM10 million to operate 50 1Malaysia static and mobile clinics nationwide.

According to Director-General of Health Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican, the static clinics will be opened at shophouses or rented premises. The mobile clinics will operate in areas where it is difficult to set up static clinics. They may also operate from existing health centres.

We hope he will announce the comprehensive guideline for the clinics. What is worrying is the problem of staffing with good personnel. Although the Government would deploy staff from existing government clinics and recruit assistant medical officers, allied health staff and trained nurses on a contract basis, it would need an effective system to monitor these clinics.

Serious cases will be referred from these clinics to existing goverment clinics and hospitals. As it is, there are many complaints against existing clinics and hospitals because of unsatisfactory services in some cases. There must be constant attempt to improve them.

Dr Ismail said the 1Malaysia clinics, which would operate from 10am to 10pm, would provide minor treatment to people in line with the government's "People First, Performance Now" policy. The clinics will be closed on weekends and public holidays.

As Dr Ismail says that 1 Malaysia clinics will be supervised by a medical officer from the government clinic, we hope that only dedicated officers are appointed.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw