Malaysia’s general practitioners need help

THE Malaysian general practitioners (GP) fraternity is deeply disappointed with the recent Cabinet decision to turn down their request to harmonise GP fees and for approving the drug price control in private clinics.

As it stands, the current GP fees of RM10 to RM35 per consultation is based on the Malaysian Medical Association fees schedule of 1992, which has not been changed for 27 years. Nowhere else have fees remained static for more than a quarter of a century. Please note that the maximum fee, RM35, is only for complex cases, which may take the doctor half an hour or more to manage. Simple cases are supposed to be charged only RM10!

Like all private entities in this country, general practitioners have been affected by rising costs for the past 27 years. However, because of the fee schedule, they have had to subsidise these costs without any means to cushion the effects. It is only because GPs can sell medicines to their patients that they have been able to survive (albeit barely).

With the proposed drug price control, the eventual outcome would be the mass closure of clinics. This will ultimately endanger the lives and health of the more than three million patients under managed care organisations and many more members of the general public who depend on GP clinics for their daily healthcare.

The government, in its commitment to sustainable and equitable healthcare, has repeatedly expressed its intention to enhance primary care and general practices but in reality has never “walked the talk”.

The contributions of GPs to essential healthcare for more than 50 years have been totally ignored. In fact, the enactment of endless regulations and requirements have left many practising and aspiring GPs totally disillusioned and devastated.

The current government should stop the short-term populist measures and rhetoric that have no place in real public health interest and instead work with stakeholders and GPs towards a fair and equitable healthcare system that benefits all.

Every government has the moral obligation to work towards a healthcare system that is fair, of high quality and accessible to the public everywhere, be it in the government or private sector.

In simple terms, stop victimising the GPs and support them to provide high quality care to the public instead of sounding the death knell for GPs and leaving millions of ordinary Malaysians nowhere to go but to flood the overburdened government health clinics that are already bursting at the seams.