SRI AMAN: The medical and health charges at Government hospitals and clinics in Malaysia are the lowest in the world as 98% of health costs is subsidised, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
He said the Government not only spent a large amount of money providing health service facilities, but also imposed the lowest fees in the world on patients.
“An outpatient needs only pay RM1 while RM5 is charged when one sees a specialist doctor.
“The medicine is given free.
“No other health system in the world charges such low a rate,” he said at the ceremony to lay down the foundation stone for the Sri Aman Minor Specialist Hospital here yesterday.
Najib said the health system in Malaysia was also among the best in the world.
“In fact, if we analyse the cost and service provided, I dare say that the health system in Malaysia is the best in the world,” he added.
He said Malaysia was ranked the third out of 24 countries in the world in the provision of health facilities.
On the hospital which was scheduled to be completed in 2018, Najib it was proof that the Government kept its promises to the people.
He said RM12mil had been spent for land acquisition and site clearing, and an estimated RM150mil would be spent on building the hospital.
When completed, the hospital would have 108 beds and equipped with various facilities, such as operating theatres, haemodialysis and radiotherapy rooms.
Stating that it was a big challenge persuading specialist doctors to serve in rural hospitals in the state, he said incentives were given to those who were willing to serve there in these hospitals.
Earlier, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said finding enough doctors and specialists was one of the main challenges in providing health services to the rural populace.
He said the situation in Sarawak was one of the best example, where there were more than adequate medical facilities to serve its 2.5 million population.
He said with 22 hospitals and 211 public clinics in the state, it meant there was roughly one medical facility for every 10,000 people.
“The greater issue is the lack of human resources,” he said adding that many of the medical personnel serving in the state were from the peninsula.
