BY FADZLI RAMLI
KOTA KINABALU: The MADANI Medical Scheme, which was launched on June 15, should be expanded to Sabah’s outskirts and rural areas.
In contrast to the residents of Peninsular Malaysia, who largely see the scheme as a cost-cutting measure, Sabahans view it as an initiative that can close the gap in the existing lack of medical facilities, which makes it hard for them to access quality healthcare.
A private-sector general worker, Jerfery Tongusin, 51, said the scheme’s pilot project in Kota Kinabalu has enabled him to obtain medical attention quickly without the usual time-consuming travel and long waiting period at government hospitals.
He said, however, that people in the outskirts and rural areas need it more because the majority of them depended solely on facilities provided by government hospitals and clinics.
“It is not about the quality of the government healthcare but more about overcrowding. We understand the challenges faced by health workers to provide better services while working with a lack of manpower and poor facilities.
“Now with the MADANI Medical Scheme people do not have to crowd, wait a long time or travel far to get medical treatment. They can go to the nearest clinic in their area,” he told Bernama when met after seeking treatment through the scheme at Klinik Medisinar here.
Hotel employee Anne Lyn Marcelliono, 27, from Tenom, said the MADANI Medical Scheme is a medium-term solution to address the ongoing challenges of trying to resolve the problem of outdated healthcare facilities at present.
“I work in Kota Kinabalu and it is easy to get medical treatment here. I just bring along my identity card, check my eligibility and see a doctor. But my family in Tongod have to travel very far and wait long hours at the government clinic. They would no longer have to go through that when this scheme is expanded to Tenom,” she said after a visit to Poliklinik Permai here.
Seafood distributor Ekhwan Shafiq Mohd Nasri, 37, from Pitas, said the scheme should focus on improving access to quality healthcare for people living in Pitas, Kota Marudu and Tongod as they are among the poorest districts in Sabah.
Ekhwan Shafiq said he frequently gave lifts to people in rural Pitas, who needed medical attention, to Pitas town, usually at Pitas Hospital.
“Sometimes the wait was so long that they had to stay overnight and return home only the next day.
“Most people in these districts cannot afford private clinics, which charge between RM30 and RM50 per visit. So they have no choice but to brave the overcrowded government hospitals because it is only RM1. If the scheme is extended to their area, they can have access to private clinics too,” he said.
Dr Ashley Lee Yoong, 34, a partner at Klinik Impian Sejahtera in Kota Marudu said the MADANI Medical Scheme allowed outskirts and rural clinics like hers to provide healthcare facilities to more people, especially the needy.
“This scheme can also encourage more clinics like us to open and maintain branches in the outskirts. At present it is very difficult to do so because not many can afford private medical treatment,” she said.
She said her clinic has contacted the MADANI Medical Scheme administration to join the scheme and is waiting to be advised of the procedure and hoped that it can be extended to Kota Marudu as well as other rural areas.
Assistant Medical Officer Abd Rusyaidi Abdullah, 29, said the scheme is expected to focus on the rural areas which need it while alleviating the burden faced by the government healthcare facilities at present.
“Sabah’s rural areas are hard to reach, the roads are bad and we have to travel far to reach the villages to provide healthcare services, sometimes even spending the night in the jungle. With this scheme, we can direct our resources to areas which really need it,” he said. – Bernama
