From The Icu A Wife S Plea To Save The National Health Service

---

 
From Chan Li Jin
Sitting by my husband’s bedside at Sungai Buloh Hospital’s ICU, a Facebook post by a specialist doctor at a government hospital caught my attention. The post said the doctor’s cousin, also a doctor from a government hospital, had decided to accept an overseas job offer.
This is not surprising, considering the steady exodus of many health professionals from government facilities in recent years.
Last December, health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said 6,417 permanent and contract medical officers and 1,046 medical specialists had resigned from government service from 2019 to 2023.
I looked up from my phone and surveyed the ICU. Doctors, nurses, and medical aides were all quietly going about their work, speaking gently to comatose patients and visiting family members.
A few days earlier, the medical team had explained my diabetic husband’s critical condition after he suffered a heart attack and was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance. The team carefully outlined the treatment plan, explaining the risks and benefits of each procedure.
His amputated foot, which had been through three previous surgeries, was infected, causing complications that affected his heart, lungs, kidneys, and liver.
Despite the challenges, my husband received good care and had advanced medical equipment available.
Anchored for too long
A private hospital, where we had first gone when he complained of breathing difficulties in the morning, told us the estimated cost of treatment ranged from RM50,000 to over RM120,000 for ICU admission, another foot surgery, an angiogram, and dialysis in the treatment plan.
Realising that our insurance coverage would not be enough, the doctors helped arrange an ambulance to transfer us to the nearby government hospital.
We had been paying almost RM400 every month in insurance premiums for over 20 years to prepare for a medical emergency like this. But with the rising cost of private healthcare, we still ended up heading to an overburdened government health facility.
Lost at sea
Although we had insurance, it fell short when complications arose. Had we been too conservative in our medical insurance planning? What if there were no government hospitals nearby?
Could the health ministry’s Rakan KKM initiative be a solution?
Ideally, medical fees should be within a reasonable range for insurance to cover, especially given the ageing population and rising cases of chronic diseases as reported in the 2024 national survey.
But the reality is that most middle-income families will still rely on government health services.
This lack of clarity about the state of the health system is steering the ship off course, away from its primary mission of patient care.
Health professionals are becoming frustrated. It’s difficult to stay motivated when the direction of the ship keeps changing due to conflicting orders.
Some professionals are abandoning ship for other opportunities. While many good professionals remain, their exhaustion and distress grow with each passing day.
The endless barrage of criticism needs to stop if we are to correct the course and improve the system.
No fair-weather friend
Private facilities still play a critical role in alleviating the strain on the national health service.
However, access to private facilities is largely determined by insurance, which covers only about 54% of Malaysians, according to the Malaysia Deposit Insurance Corporation.
My family’s experience is not unique.
I’m hopeful that the health ministry’s Rakan KKM initiative, which promises “premium economy” medical and health services, will be rolled out across more government hospitals.
Fees for Rakan KKM services will be lower than at private hospitals, while offering effective and efficient care.
As my husband enters his 12th day in ICU, I’ve realised just how vital is the government health service. If not for Sungai Buloh Hospital, we would have been overwhelmed with anxiety due to my husband’s condition and mounting hospital bills.
Many families have been torn apart by financial strain due to medical costs.
For this ship to continue sailing, I urge the minister to empower patients (the passengers) to contribute more to the journey. The current RM1 registration fee is outdated and should be revised to RM5 or RM10.
This, combined with Rakan KKM, would address the financial constraints facing the public sector, allowing for better compensation for health workers and the expansion of health facilities.
No, the ship is not sinking yet. But to keep it afloat, we must all roll up our sleeves and row together.
It’s now or never. - FMT
Chan Li Jin is a health activist and a FMT reader.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.

---