Make government hospitals comply with private standards

Daryl Goon, the Present of the Medico-Legal Society of Malaysia says Make government hospitals comply with private standards

THE Medico-Legal Society of Malaysia views with concern the report by the Auditor-General of shoddy repairs and upgrading work carried out in government clinics. Some of the shortcomings described include shoddy work that would render the facilities available physically unsafe for patients. There are also examples of defects that would clearly undermine patients’ privacy and dignity. It is perhaps time for the Government to take steps to extend the provisions of the Private Healthcare Facilities & Services Act 1998 (ACT 586), and its regulations, to government clinics and hospitals. This legislation and its regulations set out statutorily what are essentially the minimum acceptable standards to be expected from private healthcare facilities, which include hospitals, medical clinics and dental clinics. One simply cannot countenance double standards in healthcare – patients are patients. All patients (whether in government or private hospitals) are entitled to expect those minimum standards that have been thought fit to be imposed on private healthcare facilities. There may be practical problems to overcome, so it need not happen overnight.

/medi