Advisory council looks for mechanism for public, private hospital cooperation

PETALING JAYA, March 8 (Bernama) -- The Health Ministry (KKM) through the Health Advisory Council is looking for the best mechanism to create an effective and continuous cooperation between public and private hospitals.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the cooperation was to enable the problem of congestion of patients at the public hospitals to be accommodated by the private hospitals.

“The problem faced currently is that we (the general hospitals) take in about 60 to 70 per cent of the patients while present facilities can only accommodate 40 to 50 per cent. The private hospitals, on the other hand, has over capacity where they have 60 per cent capacity and facilities but only handled 40 per cent of the patients.

“The situation can be improved if there is good and continuous collaboration (between the public and private hospitals),” he told reporters after attending the programme "Til Eleven Morning Insights’, here today.

Meanwhile, Dr Dzukefly said the Health Advisory Council, chaired by former Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Abu Bakar Suleiman, was expected to be launched officially within a month's time.

The council, which was set up earlier this year, comprises seven experts including an economic expert.

In another development, Dr Dzulkefly said the National Heart Institute (IJN) would still be placed under the Finance Ministry although there were several groups who suggested that it be placed under the KKM (Health Ministry).

“This matter had also been discussed at the Cabinet meeting but for the time being it is still a corporate entity and placed under the MOF (Ministry of Finance).

“We can consider the matter (suggestion that IJN be placed under KKM) but for the time being it is a status quo,” he said.

-- BERNAMA