The Malaysian Bar - MoU to seal takeover deal of Orang Asli healthcare facilities

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MoU to seal takeover deal of Orang Asli healthcare facilities

Tuesday, 03 January 2012 09:33am

©The Sun (Used by permission)
by Alyaa Alhadjri

PETALING JAYA (Jan 2, 2012): The Health Ministry will seal a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Rural and Regional Development Ministry tomorrow, formalising its administrative takeover of all medical services for the Orang Asli community.

The MoU will be signed by the two ministry secretaries-general, Datuk Kamarul Zaman Md Isa and Datuk Ibrahim Muhamad respectively, at a ceremony in Health Ministry in Putrajaya.

Health Director General Datuk Hasan Abdul Rahman told theSun, under the agreement, the ministry would be given administrative powers over all health and medical services for the community.

On the other hand, the Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa), previously in charge of the community's medical services, would remain in charge of their welfare, en-route to the facilities, or while seeking medical treatment.

At the centre of the take-over is the Orang Asli hospital in Gombak, built in 1957, which to date is the largest medical institution dedicated to serve the community.

Hasan said the Health Ministry will also be in charge of the following services:

>> Three family clinics in Bertau (Pahang), Grik (Perak) and Gua Musang (Kelantan);

>> Mobile clinics and flying doctors; and

>> Dental services

"We will be upgrading all the facilities to make sure they are at par with services offered by all other healthcare institutions under our management," said Hasan, adding that the move will benefit some 150,000 Orang Asli nationwide.

TheSun had through a series of articles last year highlighted the sorry state of affairs at the Gombak Orang Asli hospital.

Among others, the institution was plagued with claims of mismanagement and negligence, allegedly at the hands of its past administration.

Among concerns raised include non-compliance with guidelines set by the Health Ministry on treating childhood malnutrition, as well as alleged misappropriation of funds allocated to the hospital.

This led up to a confirmation by Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai (pix) in September that the ministry had agreed to take-over its administration, along with all other healthcare facilities for the community, effective Jan 1.

Hasan said the ministry had spent some six months in discussion with all affected stakeholders, resulting in what he described as a "win-win" solution for all.

"The Orang Asli has requested for the hospital to be dedicated solely to serve their community.

"There were also requests from the staff for them to not be transferred out of the hospital," he said.

He added, in line with the hospital's image as an institution dedicated for the Orang Asli, the ministry will be looking at training and hiring more Orang Asli staff for the hospital and for other related facilities as well.

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