Backlog of non-Covid cases still high, says KJ

 

The low number of specialists in private healthcare and lack of private hospitals in certain states have slowed down the Health Ministry's efforts to cover its non-Covid-19 cases.

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said despite the ministry having outsourced their non-Covid-19 cases to the private sector last year, they still face huge backlogs.

"The number of backlog cases is still high due to certain limitations, such as lack of specialist services at the private healthcare facilities, and also due to some states not having many private hospitals," he told a press conference in Putrajaya yesterday.

Khairy was responding to a media request for an update on the backlog of the ministry’s non-Covid-19 cases.

As of Sept 1, the ministry still has 57,355 backlog cases.

The largest proportion involves surgical-based operations, which make up 93.8 percent, against 6.2 percent medical-based procedures.

Health facilities overwhelmed

As of Aug 31, 38 government hospitals and 68 private healthcare facilities have participated in receiving the outsourced cases. They conducted a total of 6,623 surgical operations and medical procedures.

Khairy said the ministry has used RM26.2 million, or 66 percent, of the budget allocated by the government for outsourcing activities.

"We are looking into several methods to solve the issue of backlogs, including to increase outsourcing, the opening of repurposed operation theatres in stages, and to extend surgical operation hours on Saturdays to eight hours and on Sundays, if needed.

"The ministry is also in discussion with the Armed Forces Hospital and university hospitals on what more can be done," he said.

Khairy added that they are also looking into a national effort involving all hospitals in the country to address the backlogs. - FMT