KUCHING: Medical health practitioners and providers in the private sector are urged to work hand in hand with the government to enhance the nation’s development.
Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian said the partnership between public and private healthcare sectors would help to minimise waste while improving quality care.
“It is essential to build trust with the community and to ensure sustainability of the healthcare system.
“This can guarantee efforts and resources invested in facilitating access to care for people’s health while minimising waste,” he said in his speech during the opening ceremony of the 22nd Family Medicine Scientific Conference at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here, yesterday.
Highlighting big gaps in resources and workloads between the public and private sectors, he noted that the integration of both healthcare sectors could reduce overconcentration in the private sector.
“There are not enough hands in the public sector to take care of all patients. “In Malaysia, the mismatch in pay wage between public and private sector is huge. Working in the private sector can earn about 10 times more than one-month’s salary working in the public sector,” he said.
In 2000, it was reported that 58.8 percent of specialists were in the private sector while the remaining 41.2 percent were in the public sector.
To reduce the gap, he believed a collaborative approach would not only provide an opportunity for medical practitioners to serve communities holistically, but this would enlighten them, to be more eager in facilitating
family healthcare, particularly in the rural areas.
Although the public healthcare in Malaysia has often been criticised, Dr Sim said national healthcare had been well-recognised by the World Health Organisation.
He also pointed out that the joint venture between both sectors should be based on two key foundations.
“One, through participatory approach and two, must occupy oneself with adequate information about scope and nature of private provision.”
