Latest news with #PrivateHealthcareFacilities&ServicesAct1998
Daily Express
6 days ago
- Health
- Daily Express
Naccol shouldn't be involved in regulating healthcare, says Malaysian Medical Association
Published on: Thursday, August 07, 2025 Published on: Thu, Aug 07, 2025 By: FMT Reporters Text Size: MMA president Dr Kalwinder Singh Khaira stressed that Naccol's role is to address cost of living concerns, not regulate healthcare services. (MMA pic) PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has panned the National Action Council on Cost of Living's (Naccol) role in regulating healthcare services, particularly over the issue of itemised billing and mandatory prescriptions at private clinics. MMA president Dr Kalwinder Singh Khaira stressed that Naccol's role is to address cost of living concerns. Advertisement 'Naccol is not in the field of medical practice and medical laws that were established to protect patients and uphold the standards of safe and effective care,' he said in a statement. He also pointed out that itemised billing is already practised in private clinics, in line with the Private Healthcare Facilities & Services Act 1998, while prescriptions are already covered under the Poisons Act 1952 and the Guidelines for Good Dispensing Practice. Yesterday, domestic trade and cost of living deputy minister Fuziah Salleh told the Dewan Rakyat that Naccol had made several key decisions with regards to healthcare, including mandatory itemised billing and prescriptions for every patient consultation. Kalwinder urged the health ministry to firmly safeguard the integrity and autonomy of the medical profession, following incidents of non-medical Acts being imposed on healthcare facilities. Advertisement 'The regulation and governance of healthcare must strictly remain under the jurisdiction of the health ministry, without interference or overreach by any non-medical Act or other ministries. 'It is imperative that the health ministry stands its ground in ensuring that healthcare policy decisions are guided by medical expertise and professional standards,' he said. Kalwinder also highlighted the sector's concern and frustration with the prolonged inaction on the revision of consultation fees for general practitioners (GPs), which have remained unchanged for 34 years. 'Despite the MMA having raised this issue repeatedly and having brought it up with Naccol, the health ministry and also at all levels of government, there has yet to be any definitive decision on the matter,' he said. He urged this issue to be addressed with 'the urgency and seriousness it deserves' as it affected the sustainability of primary care services by GPs, adding that it should not be pushed around for repeated reviews and studies without any decision. On Sunday, it was reported that the Cabinet had urged the health ministry to fine-tune its proposal for the consultation fee hike and to continue discussions with stakeholders. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
The Star
6 days ago
- Health
- The Star
Stop over-regulating private healthcare, says MMA
PETALING JAYA: The government should halt excessive interference and over-regulation of private medical practice in the country, says the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA). This comes in response to a recent parliamentary reply that the National Action Council on Cost of Living (Naccol) had 'mandated' itemised billing and mandatory prescriptions in private medical clinics. 'The regulation and governance of healthcare must strictly remain under the jurisdiction of the Health Ministry, without interference or overreach by any non-medical act or non-health ministries,' said MMA president Dr Kalwinder Singh Khaira in a statement on Thursday (Aug 7). He said that itemised billing is already practised in private clinics, in line with the Private Healthcare Facilities & Services Act 1998 while prescriptions are already covered under the Poisons Act 1952 and the Guidelines for Good Dispensing Practice (MMC, 2025), which require doctors to provide them upon patient's request after consultation is done. MMA warned that ongoing encroachments by non-health bodies into medical policy are setting a dangerous precedent. The association called on the Health Ministry to 'stand its ground' and protect the autonomy and professional integrity of medical practitioners. Another key point raised was the long-standing issue of outdated consultation fees for general practitioners (GPs). The MMA expressed deep frustration over the 34-year delay in revising the GP consultation fee structure. 'Over-regulating general practice and placing undue pressure on GPs will have far-reaching consequences, not only for GPs but also for the long-term sustainability of the country's primary healthcare ecosystem,' Dr Kalwinder warned, noting that closures of GP clinics would only shift the burden onto public healthcare facilities. The MMA reiterated that healthcare policies must focus on improving patient access, safety, and outcomes, not adding bureaucratic burdens that could compromise the quality and sustainability of care.
