SEPTEMBER , 2022 | THE HEALTH

| The Health says ... |

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Steadfast in its determination Duopharma Biotech leads the way to maintain its position as the leading halal and sustainable pharmaceutical company in the country

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Unseen dangers lurking in our soil Work on your soil safely without getting infected by harmful organisms

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It ’ s always possible to be kind Being a caring person has obvious positive effects on one ’ s health and happiness

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More than an obsession with thinness Eating disorders remain under-recognised and include actual , life-threatening illnesses with potentially deadly outcomes

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A weekend in Bangkok Thailand is the first country in Southeast Asia to legitimise the use of cannabis and ketum for medical purposes . Will Malaysia follow suit ?

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Anxiety : Hope and solution Anxiety disorders are mostly treated as outpatients and receive less attention from clinical psychiatrists than patients with disorders requiring inpatient treatment

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Kidney transplant the viable option While dialysis is indeed a life-saving treatment , a kidney transplant is a better choice for a vastly improved quality of life

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Strengthen resilience to the pandemic Enhancing the environmental health of societies is a key component to the economy , recovery and stimulus measures that governments are currently designing

p27 People

• Choosing Selayang over San Diego

• Malaysian students heading to Harvard

• Muhyiddin launches his doctor ’ s biography

• Mohd Shukrie abruptly quits KPJ Healthcare

He said it was the country ’ s collective statement of intent on how it could make the health system more sustainable and resilient through a “ whole of government ” and “ whole of society ” mindset .

Covid-19 had brought into sharp focus the need for healthcare reforms , where never before had the interdependence of health , finance and the social fabric been so visible and the demand for healthcare reforms been more apparent for the wellbeing and social needs of the people , he said .

Malaysians , in general , will welcome any health reforms that are good for the country . After all , there is a dire need for reform in not only health but other areas such as education and local government .

We understand the Ministry of Health ( MoH ) is still in the process of getting feedback from stakeholders on the White Paper . This public engagement is commendable as White Papers are policy documents that set out proposals for future legislation .

It ’ s basic for ministers , politicians and government officials to get public feedback before deciding on important issues affecting the public and national interest . But to what extent will the public ’ s feedback or proposals by stakeholders be adopted ?

We have seen the Ministry of Finance holding dialogue sessions with the business community in the run up to the Budget . But were many of their proposals adopted ? Given the complaints from the business community post-Budget , it would seem many of their views were ignored .

The MoH ’ s move to get feedback for its White Paper should , therefore , not be a smokescreen . The key issues must be addressed .

They are focusing on preventive rather than curative healthcare , the brain drain , bullying of housemen , need for a national health financing scheme , shortage of healthcare facilities , lack of transparency in procurement and providing healthcare for marginalised communities , to name a few .

Khairy can be assured that his White Paper will receive support from lawmakers and the public if the proposals are fair to everyone . Malaysia badly needs healthcare reforms postpandemic , so let ’ s get it right this time .