Ministry cannot cut intake of doctors, paramedics - Dr Hilmi

The Health Ministry cannot at will, reduce the number of doctors and paramedics at the government hospitals as it needs to provide the best medical services to the people.

Its deputy minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya said both posts were very much needed, more so due to the increasing number of patients seeking treatment at government hospitals.

"We cannot cut (the recruitment) as we like. If we reduce the number of doctors and paramedics, our services will crumble but we always want to do the best for the people.

"In fact, the 2017 Budget tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Friday announced an increase of RM2 billion in allocation for the health sector," he told reporters after officiating at the Health Ministry's Training Institute's convocation ceremony, here, today.

Dr Hilmi was commenting on the statement by the Penang state government's think tank, Penang Institute, which urged the federal government to reform and downsize the public service sector in order to reduce the budget deficit.

Dr Hilmi said the proposal was illogical and would only make the public sector unproductive and weak.

On another development, Dr Hilmi said the public should not misunderstand the term, full paying patient (FPP) at the government hospital which had gone viral of late.

He said FPP did not mean privatisation of healthcare services at the government hospitals, but instead an option for patients who could themselves afford to pay for their treatment.

"And if they require surgery, it can be done by the (government hospital) doctor after his office hours," he said.

This, he added, did not affect the existing services as the public could get free medical treatment by paying the registration fee of RM1 and pay the minimum of RM30 for ward admission.

Last Thursday, director-general of Health, Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah explained that the FPP is a retention package for the ministry's medical specialists to curb them from joining the private hospitals.

At the convocation, 7,973 graduands from across the country received their certificates, diplomas and advanced diplomas in various fields. - Bernama