CORONAVIRUS | Following complaints from patients and the medical community, the Health Ministry has exempted medical treatment and the purchase of medicine from the 10km limit under the movement control order.
According to a report by news portal Code Blue, this change in policy came about after reports that cancer patients were turned back at roadblocks.
Health Minister Dr Adham Baba told the portal that he had spoken with Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Babor about the healthcare exemption, saying: "I have already informed the IGP, he is aware."
However, Adham said that the documents required at police roadblocks were up to their discretion.
Yesterday in Sabah and Sarawak, state authorities decided to waive the requirement that those seeking treatment at a medical facility more than 10km away from their homes obtain permission from the police first.
Code Blue today quoted National Cancer Society of Malaysia medical director Dr M Muralitharan as saying that two cancer patients from KL were prevented from seeking treatment in Ampang, Selangor and Cheras respectively. He also cited two other cases in Malacca and Pahang.
The exemption follows the regulation made under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 in the gazette signed by Health Minister Dr Adham Baba on March 31 that limited a member of the public to seeking treatment at medical facilities that are located more than 10km from their homes "or to a place nearest to his residence,” under Rule 4(b).
However, under Rule 5 those who have a special reason to go out to other areas must obtain a permission letter from the nearest police station.
According to Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii, local police had taken it to mean that the police permission is compulsory or the patients will be turned back at the roadblock.
Yesterday, Yii suggested that proper documentation of hospital/clinic appointments or even medicine prescriptions be sufficient to be shown at each roadblock or inspection for such special consideration to be given to the patients.
"This regulation does not only add unnecessary bureaucracy for patients to get the needed medical attention but it also causes much inconvenience, especially for those patients in rural areas.”
"While I understand the reasoning behind such regulations especially during an outbreak such as this, I urge the minister to take into consideration the local demographics of Sarawak and access to healthcare for rural folks," said Yii.
He added that rural folks comprise a huge portion of the population in Sarawak who may need to travel more than 10km for access to a public health facility especially hospitals. He also highlighted the problems faced by some patients who have appointments in specialist hospitals that are far from their homes.
Following the appeals of Yii and an online petition, Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Douglas Uggah Embas met with Sarawak police commissioner Ramli Din and announced that the regulation would be relaxed in selected rural areas which lack healthcare accessibility.
Sabah Health and People’s Wellbeing Minister Frankie Poon Ming Fung also made a similar announcement yesterday.
Sabah and Sarawak are the two largest states in Malaysia and have lower doctor to patient ratios than in Peninsular Malaysia.
Relax rules in the Peninsula
Yesterday, Selangor Integrity and Standard Compliance Department chief Mohd Ismail Muslim said that the police may ask the public to show their utility bills during a roadblock or snap check to prove they are within a 10km radius from their homes as outlined in the second phase of the MCO.
"However, if you fulfil the criteria of going out as stipulated in the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within the Local Infected Areas) Regulations 2020, you don't have to worry (about showing the bill)," he said.
Under the regulations, those who want to buy daily needs, medicine, supplements or seek medical advice must ensure that their movements must be within a 10km radius from their homes or they can also visit the nearest place.
They can be accompanied by another person if there is a valid reason for doing so.
Earlier today, Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) president Dr N Ganabaskaran had also called for the Peninsula states to adopt a similar relaxation of the rules such as in Sabah and Sarawak.
“This rule is unreasonable. There are patients who require regular follow-ups at hospitals well beyond 10km and for some of them, there should be no question of postponement,” he told Malaysiakini.
He said that with cancer patients, a delay in chemotherapy could result in worsened health conditions.
“We urge the authorities to relax this rule immediately and allow patients who bring along the necessary documents such as appointment card or referral letter (to show at roadblocks) to proceed to their hospital appointments.
Ganabaskaran had also urged authorities to allow, with the necessary documents, the picking up of medicines for senior citizens.
“We advise that medicines be picked up by younger family members or a trusted friend, if the older person is living alone. Older persons are advised to avoid as much as possible crowded public places during this time of a pandemic,” he said.
His views were echoed by Dr Milton Lum, a member of the Malaysian Medical Council who also previously served as MMA president.
“You cannot be too stringent, because if your gazette is insistent on the rule, the police will just follow the law.”
Lum also urged that the one person per car rule not be applied in the case of a patient going to seek medical treatment.
“A lot of sick people need assistance to get to the hospital or clinic. You don’t have to be a doctor to know that. Many patients require assistance and are not fully mobile themselves.”
He said that an exemption for patients, healthcare workers and those with disabilities could be simple to administer.
“Patients can show their appointment cards and prescription cards at the roadblocks. Nobody should be expecting them to travel under the one car, one person rule. Some healthcare providers are independent also so they should be allowed to show their documentation without the additional bureaucracy of applying to the police.”
“The MCO is already disruptive enough, please don’t pile on the misery and stress on those who are suffering,” said Lum. - Mkini
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