A good time now to see your GP, says MMA

PETALING JAYA: With private clinics reporting fewer patient visits during the national shutdown, the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has urged the public to keep up their general health and keep appointments with their family doctors.

MMA president Dr N Ganabaskaran said the public should keep their scheduled appointments, especially health check-ups. “If there are any health issues, it must be managed early for a better outcome,” he said.

He said with the current travel restrictions, there would be less time spent waiting to see the doctor.

As Covid-19 cases are referred directly to government hospitals, those with chronic diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension or heart disease, or people who require ongoing medical attention, should stay in touch with their family physicians, he said.

“These are unusual times. However, health must be maintained or people can develop other illnesses,” he said in a statement today.

He noted that during this national shutdown, people might be more vulnerable to other health issues, such as high blood pressure or even heart disease, if they remained inactive while staying at home.

Some general practitioners have also been keeping in touch with regular patients online, as health can still be monitored if a person chooses to stay at home. However, some patients may still need to be present at the clinic for an appointment, MMA said.

GPs report 70-80% drop in business

This morning FMT reported that private clinics have said they had suffered a drop in business since the national shutdown began on March 18.

A general practitioner in Kuala Lumpur said “a large number” of GPs have reported in various chat groups that business has dropped 70-80%.

Patients who used to visit GPs for the flu, cough or minor injuries were instead staying at home. “By and large they won’t pop into a GP’s clinic. They are afraid to come to the clinic to see doctors over minor ailments,” he told FMT. - FMT