Subsidised dental care to be continued — Minister

PUTRAJAYA: Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S Subramaniam assured the public that third class patients and outpatients will continue to enjoy subsidised fees for dental treatment including in health clinics nationwide.

He denied claims on social media that dental treatment charges for third class patients and outpatients had increased and said people would continue to receive highly subsided dental care funded by the government.

Patients, he said, only have to pay RM2 for scaling and polishing the teeth, RM2 for dental fillings charges and RM1 for tooth extraction.

“The government is always sensitive to high quality health care at affordable rates for the people, especially for the poor and lowincome group,” he told reporters at his ministry here yesterday.

Dr Subramaniam said the revision of dental charges according to the Fees ( Medical) (Amendment) Order 2017 would only be increased for patients in Class One and Two.

He also explained that the government had to finance the high subsidy rates due to the increase in the cost of treatment and medicine each year.

“Like the number of charges recorded on the payment receipt of government hospitals, people do not pay the actual amount because it has been subsidised or they have to pay a very low fee and many do not know that the government bears all the costs,” he said.

Meanwhile, commenting on the Rotavirus case in Kedah, Dr Subramaniam said no recreational or leisure areas had been closed due to the disease but advised people not to visit the affected areas.

“We are investigating and will issue a decision soon,” he said.

Kedah recorded 11 new cases of rotavirus infection involving children and adolescents, bringing the total to 18 cases recorded in hospitals in the state.