HEALTH CARE IN MALAYSIA

HEALTH CARE IN MALAYSIA   -   A critical review

Introduction :

Jose Marc Castro is a Pilipino, based in Philippines.  He has been a contributing writer and researcher on ExpatForum.com since 2007.  His legal background gives him the ideal skills needed to research and write great and useful material for expatforum.com.

The writer give positive remarks about healthcare in Malaysia.  Jose emphasize that Malaysia is fortunate country where health care had been improving over the years and Jose encourage tourist from other countries to consider  Malaysia for their medical care destination, where Malaysia is embarking of medical tourism as part of the country’s wish.  Eventhough there were issues mentioned by the writer, however those issues were not only persist in Malaysia but are common within Asian countries.

I personally agree to Jose’s writing about overall healthcare in Malaysia, eventhough there are some setbacks, overall Jose post more of positive points and promote the Malaysian healthcare system.  Jose made it clear in his second paragraph that going to Malaysia for healthcare is never a hassle.

Summary

Jose praised Malaysia as healthcare tourist destination, with its high-end hospitals that provide the best services.  Entering Malaysia is simple and easy, more over for healthcare matter.  The writer emphasized that Malaysia through the private and public sectors provided comprehensive and sufficient coverage of medical needs for its population.   The number of  health colleges and schools is enough to attest that Malaysia is serious on the on-going improvement  of its healthcare system to provide the quality health care.

To make the foreigner comfortable, he also mentioned of Malaysian various ethnics groups which carry different cultures which he described to be an interesting customs and vibrant cultures.  Another important issue which gives credit to the Malaysian healthcare system, mentioned by the writer is that the Malaysian healthcare system also encouraged foreign doctors to share their expertise in Malaysia, by working in Malaysian hospitals.  This is exactly true that not only private hospitals employ foreigners, but also the government hospitals do have foreign specialist contributing to the number of expert in government hospitals.  The writer also mentioned specifically that the quality health care are being provided not only to its residents but also to tourists, emigrants and visitors as well.  Presently, eventhough the private hospitals are set to make profit from needy patient, the cost is still affordable for the medical procedures and also the accommodations.

Critique

The writer, a Pilipino with legal background had written not less than six articles of the same nature but for various countries.  He wrote on – Health Care in Malaysia as this one we are reviewing, other articles are on Cyprus, Dubai, Hong Kong, Japan, UK, Thailand and also his homeland, Philippines.

Going through his writing on his own country and what he wrote on Malaysia, seemed that he is not biased on his comments and opinion.  He gave good remarks on Malaysian standard of healthcare.

His comment which is not agreeable to me is that the modern healthcare in Malaysia was due to Malaysia being a British colonial, whereby modern and western medical practices were being introduced due to the colonialism.  He mentioned that the medical care were being transferred from the British colonial rules to meet the growing needs.

Actual fact, the growth and improvement of Malaysian healthcare was due to the positive growth of the Malaysian economy that give room for better healthcare standard.  Growth of the economy have lead to better standard of living and created the high needs for better healthcare. 

On two negative comments he made on the issues on Malaysian healthcare,  eventhough we may not like it, but it is the truth that the writer commented.  First was the common issues he mentioned which is rampant even to neighboring countries, that is some doctors who have their mind-set to gain much money from their patients.  Secondly, was the growth of modern hospitals was almost all at the urban areas, leaving the remote area with less fortunate medical care facilities.  

Other than those mentioned above, his comment on Malaysian healthcare system and policy was overall better than many other countries in the region.  He praised Malaysian Government on the commitment to provide high-quality health care for the public whether they are locals or foreigners.

The growth and establishment of the various medical schools in the Malaysia is the confirmation that Malaysia is really serious to provide high quality health care to the public.  Medical practitioners in Malaysia are not only those who studied in Malaysia, but also from other parts of the world including universities from US.

The writer also mentioned that hospitals in Malaysia are considerably the best with the latest medical equipments for optimum performance.  A very strong point mentioned here was also that Malaysia have medical practitioners who earned their degrees from universities in US.  This kind of remark is very important for Malaysia that will boost confidence to foreigners to have their medical treatment in Malaysia.

Conclusions

This article helps Malaysia market it’s medical tourism destination. The many positive points given by the writer as against the few negative issues is much acceptable.   Overall this article is short and simple, easy to understand and the message he expressed in this article is precisely clear to all, whoever read it will understand and will assist in one’s need for a medical treatment.

Welcome to Malaysia.

Published at :

www.expatforum.com/articles/health/health-care-in-malaysia.html

by  :  JOSE MARC CASTRO on August 8, 2009.