Govt continues to fund retirees, underprivileged at IJN

New Straits Times

4 days ago

KUALA LUMPUR" The government continues to finance retirees and underprivileged patients who require treatments that are not available at government hospitals, enabling them to seek care at the National Heart Institute (IJN).
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said that the government sponsored a total of 44,257 patients at IJN last year.
This includes 26,782 retirees, 16,303 government officers, and 1,172 underprivileged patients.
"The treatment cost for these patients at IJN last year amounted to RM595 million, where RM358 million was for retirees, RM200 million for government staff, and RM37 million for underprivileged patients.
"This data clearly shows that the government is still financing retirees and underprivileged patients who require treatments that not available at government hospitals to seek care at IJN," he said in a written parliamentary reply.
He was responding to a question from Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob (BN–Bera), who asked whether IJN still has a welfare fund to assist underprivileged patients, as it is understood that the fund has since been abolished.
Dzulkefly explained that the patient must first seek treatment at a government hospital and be referred by a general physician/cardiologist/emergency medicine specialist at the government hospital to IJN.
"In emergencies, retirees and government staff may seek treatment at private hospitals, including IJN, subject to the terms and procedures stipulated in the applicable circulars.
"Additionally, for underprivileged patients, approval for government subsidies is subject to a socioeconomic assessment by the medical social welfare officer from the Health Ministry," he said.
Last year, it was reported that the Health Ministry was discharging all civil servants and pensioners to cardiac centres operated by the ministry due to the government's cost-cutting measures.
The ministry acknowledged that prudent cost control measures were necessary due to the annual increase in expenses resulting from patient referrals to IJN.
However, it said that patients were only discharged from IJN when their conditions were stable, with a monitoring period of at least six months to a year for adults, and one to two years for children.