Malaysian Healthcare Conference News Clippings
Published on 07 Mar 2019
07 Mar 2019, The Malay Mail
Health Ministry mulls mandatory measles, diphtheria shots
The Health Ministry is considering making the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) as well as diphtheria vaccines compulsory for children enrolling for school, Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad said today. The health minister said this was a suggestion from the Malaysian Paediatric Association that a government task force on vaccination would consider, among others, amid the resurgence of preventable diseases like measles and diphtheria due to increased anti-vaccine attitudes. “We can make it compulsory for one or two vaccines,” Dzulkefly told a press conference here. Anti-vaccination advocates have especially objected against the MMR vaccine based on the false belief that it causes autism.
Read More
07 Mar 2019, Borneo Post
Ministry ready to consider making two of 12 vaccines compulsory
The Health Ministry (KKM) is prepared to consider a proposal of the Malaysian Paediatric Association (MPA) to make at least two of the 12 vaccines under the National Immunisation Programme compulsory. Its Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the proposal requiring vaccination for MMR vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella as well as diphtheria vaccine will be finalised soon.
Read More
07 Mar 2019, The Sun Daily
Vaccination task force formed: Health Ministry
The Health Ministry has set up a task force to look into all aspects and dimensions of ensuring mandatory vaccination for children. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the ministry may look into giving compulsory vaccine for measles and diphtheria for all children in light of the measles and diphtheria outbreak in Malaysia. “Our commitment is to make sure that these actions will be based on what is best for the patient,“ he said at a press conference today after delivering a keynote address at the Malaysian Healthcare Conference. However, he said the task force will look into the matter thoroughly, including the legal implications of enforcing mandatory vaccination for children.
Read More
07 Mar 2019, The Malay Mail
Health minister claims 95pc of doctors support Peka B40 screening
Almost all private general practitioners (GPs) consulted by the Health Ministry are fine with the Peka B40 health screening programme’s payment rates, minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad claimed today. Dzulkefly confirmed that the government will pay GPs RM40 for patients’ first visit to conduct a health screening and RM20 for the follow-up visit, saying that both payments cannot be bundled into one.
Read More
07 Mar 2019, China Press
至少注射2疫苗卫部考虑献议
卫生部将考虑大马儿科协会（MPA），有关在国家疫苗接种计划中，注射至少2种由当局规定疫苗的建议这两种疫苗分别为麻疹，腮腺炎和风疹的联合疫苗及白喉疫苗。 卫生部长拿督斯里祖基菲里阿末说，将会在最短时间内实行这一项建议. "我会慎重考虑这项提议病，因为透过强制实行注射1至2种疫苗，将可以预防6至7种疾".
Read More
07 Mar 2019, Sin Chew Daily
卫长：设专案小组讨论。或强制为孩子注射疫苗
卫生部长拿督斯里祖基菲里说，该部将探讨强制要求家长为孩子注射在国家免疫接种计划（NIP）下其中2种疫苗的建议. 他今日出席“2019马来西亚医疗保健研讨会，后在新闻发布会上说，该部已设立专案小组以全面探讨强制注射疫苗的建议. "要落实一项强制性的政策并不容易，有很多法律上的影响，我们需要进行全面探讨，无论如何我们承诺会以人民，尤其是小孩的健康与利益为优先.”
Read More
07 Mar 2019, The Malay Mail
Ex-HKL director questions mySalam health insurance exclusions
A former Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) director questioned today why the government chose a private insurance model for its mySalam health insurance scheme that does not cover pre-existing conditions. “I don’t know whether the government is giving the wrong signal on getting private insurance, and look at it, private care insurance already said, if you got history of past illness, you’re not in,” Dr Lim Kuan Joo told the Malaysian Health Care Conference 2019 organised by the Kingsley Strategic Institute here today.
Read More
07 Mar 2019, The Malay Mail
Health Ministry’s patient data collection system finishes Phase 2
The Health Ministry’s patient data collection system has completed the second phase of gathering information on outpatients from public and private facilities, an official said yesterday. Dr Md Khadzir Sheikh Ahmad, head of the Health Informatics Centre at the Health Ministry who is managing the Malaysian Health Data Warehouse (MyHDW), stressed that MyHDW only collects data on people’s visits to any health care facility, inpatient visits, outpatient visits, visits to daycare unit services, as well as visits to clinical support groups like physiotherapy, speech, or audio. MyHDW, he said, was not an electronic medical record as it does not collect all medical information on each patient. “We have collected data on about 60 million visits,” Dr Khadzir told Malay Mail at the sidelines of the Malaysian Health Care Conference 2019 organised by the Kingsley Strategic Institute.