Datuk Paul Selvaraj
KUALA LUMPUR: Better regulated medical fees in the private healthcare sector is needed as the current costs are expensive and still beyond the means of most Malaysians, according to the Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association (Fomca).
This was among the proposals and recommendations conveyed by its Chief Executive Officer Datuk Paul Selvaraj during a meeting with the Council of Eminent Persons at Menara Ilham here yesterday.
According to Selvaraj, healthcare is a basic right of consumers and the prices cannot be set upon solely depending on the market or profits but must be looked as a welfare component.
He said concrete solutions are needed fast as it affects the consumers directly.
“What is important now is that it must be affordable to all. We must work together with the government for the benefit of consumers,” he told reporters when met after the meeting. Meanwhile, Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) Honorary Secretary Martin Khor said the government must use the same mechanism as it did in reducing the cost of treatment for Hepatitis C to reduce the prices of other drugs.
He said the use of the Rights of Government under Patent Act 1983 (Act 291) must be broadened to other drugs to make them more accessible to patients and reducing the overall fees of treatment.
“Trade agreements between Malaysia and other countries is also the reason why prices of drugs have gone up. This is among the important issues that the new government should look into,” he said. — Bernama