Tuesday June 8, 2010

D-G: Revamp medical courses

KUALA LUMPUR: There is an urgent need to revamp the medical curriculum in local universities to make it more relevant to the country’s health sector, says health ministry’s director-general Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican said.

At present, he said, what was being offered was insufficient for young doctors to function effectively.

This view was derived from a number of interviews he had conducted with primary healthcare specialists.

Another concern, he said, was about technology being used as a “substitute” for the human touch.

“Doctors do not examine patients the way they used to and they substitute it with technology,” he said.

Dr Mohd Ismail was also concerned with the mushrooming of medical schools which was beyond the jurisdiction of the Health Ministry.

“My advice to doctors and specialists in the face of this challenge is to train these young doctors,” he said.

In an interview published in the latest issue of MMA’s newsletter, he also said the Government would revise the fees charged by private hospitals and clinics.

“The exorbitant fees charged by private hospitals has been brought to my attention many times. The current schedule drawn by the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) is not as comprehensive as it should be.

“As such, I have made it a point to call for a meeting soon with MMA to develop a comprehensive fee schedule that is acceptable to all,” he said.

He reminded doctors that they picked the profession not just to make profits but to help the sick. — Bernama