PETALLING JAYA: Bank Negara has faced accusations of proposing impractical suggestions for reducing healthcare expenses and showing ignorance towards the actual difficulties and realities encountered by the country’s public health system.
Azrul Khalib, who leads the Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy, stated that Bank Negara's recent proposals to boost the availability of reasonably priced, mid-range hospital beds might not adequately address escalating healthcare expenses and insurance costs because of a lack of personnel.
"Moreover, constructing additional non-profit hospitals will not tackle medical inflation unless there are sufficient trained professionals to work in them," he said to FMT.
Azrul emphasized that the emphasis ought to be placed on enlarging the healthcare personnel by providing grants, scholarships, and education opportunities for experts, physicians, nurses, and various other medical positions.
He mentioned that numerous trained experts have moved to places like Singapore, Australia, and the UK due to superior pay, enhanced work environments, and greater opportunities for advancement.
The recommendations from Bank Negara to reduce healthcare expenses were included in their 2024 annual report published last Monday. The central bank urged for an expansion of the Ministry of Health’s "Rakan KKM" initiative.
The program provides "premium economy" facilities at certain government hospitals for scheduled outpatient, day-care, and inpatient services.
Azrul mentioned that fundamental information about the initiative was lacking. "Members of the public do not have access to essential details concerning this program apart from the number of hospitals participating and that it will offer 'premium economy' services."
He mentioned that it wasn't clear which medical fields would participate or if the program includes advantages like quicker diagnosis or preferential access to surgeries.
Concerns were raised regarding whether there were sufficient healthcare staff available to uphold the program without compromising other current services.
Nevertheless, Dr Kuljit Singh, who is the president of the Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia, thinks that "Rakan KKM" could significantly aid patients due to its cost-effectiveness and ease of access.
He mentioned that both public hospitals and non-profit institutions play a crucial role in providing accessible healthcare choices across different levels, catering primarily to most patients' needs.
Kuljit concurred with Bank Negara's proposal of governmental incentives for the Rakan KKM initiative. He mentioned that the organization was engaged in talks about which incentives ought to be offered.