BY LOH FOON FONG
PETALING JAYA: The orang asli are happy with the promise of more access to medical specialists, but they also wish to be trained in basic medical care to serve their communities.
Kelantan orang asli village committee youth chief Dendi Johari said better access to specialists, mobile clinics and flying doctors’ services under the 11th Malaysia Plan was welcome.
He said in addition to this, the orang asli should also be trained as nurses, medical assistants and even doctors.
“This can overcome the lack of medical personnel in remote areas,” he said.
Currently, orang asli in the interior areas have to travel as far as 400km for treatment.
Dendi said that during the 1970s, Dr J.M. Bolton, who set up the Gombak hospital for orang asli, had trained many in the community to treat minor ailments, identify certain diseases and refer serious cases to hospitals.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had announced on Thursday that health services in remote areas would be improved to ensure good quality healthcare for all.
Centre for Orang Asli Concerns co-ordinator Dr Colin Nicholas said the orang asli could not afford transport costs to health facilities.
He said the transport provided by the Orang Asli Development Department was erratic as it did not have enough vehicles.
“The responsibility to transport the orang asli to hospitals should be handed over to the Health Ministry,” he said.
Malaysian Medical Association president Dr Krishna Kumar commended the Government for its plans to enhance rural health but doubted if more specialists could be posted to rural areas as there was already a lack of specialists in urban government hospitals.
He said specialists did not want to go to rural areas because they faced difficulties sending their children to school.
“Unless there are good incentives to lure them, it will be a difficult move,” he said.
Medical Practitioners Coalition Association of Malaysia president Dr Peter Chan said while improving healthcare service was much needed, diseases like tuberculosis needed to be addressed urgently.
“The Government needs to monitor illegal immigrants in the country more,” he said.
Asked how the ministry was going to overcome the lack of specialists in the government service, Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahya said they had increased the number of scholarships given out for the Master’s programme to 1,000 doctors between last year and this year.
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