Time for Ismail Merican to resign as DG of Health. Healthcare is not a 'business' - it a commitment an obligation to all in Malaysia..

It is time we ask Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican, Malaysia's Director General of Health, to resign...

WHY? Because this man is not concerned about healthcare for all in Malaysia - he is a 'businessman' - and he is interested in the 'healthcare business' ...

In line with strategies outlined in the third industrial master plan, the Government has set up the health industry section under the ministry to nurture the development and promotion of healthcare including health tourism.

The ministry will soon launch “Malaysia Healthcare” as part of its branding exercise to promote the country as a choice destination for international medical care.

The ministry, in collaboration with several government agencies undertakes programmes and activities to promote the local health industry overseas via specialised marketing missions for healthcare products in targeted countries in Asean, the Middle East and Europe. - Star, 4/7/2009, Healthcare business on the rise -By TAN SRI DR ISMAIL MERICAN, DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE HEALTH MINISTRY

We need a DG of Health that is committed to getting free universal healthcare to all persons in Malaysia...not some person interested in making 'profits' by selling healthcare...

We cannot even cater to the needs of the local population - and here, he is talking about marketting Malaysian healthcare overseas...

Health...healthcare is not a product to be marketted - it is an obligation of the government that the Malaysian government must provide all persons...

We do not have enough doctors and nurses for our government hospitals/clinics - and inadequate healthcare has been the cause of 1,300 deaths amongst undocumented migrants in 6 years [see:- 126 groups:- Death of 2 Burmese Indicative of State of Detention Places in Malaysia - Denial of Healthcare Is a Violation of Right to Life]

What about the number of other persons in Malaysia who died by reason of poor and inadequate healthcare? How many lives have been lost?

Malaysia should be looking at Cuba, France, United Kingdom, Canada, Thailand with regard to free universal healthcare for all...

But alas, the poor is not Malaysia's concern - they are more interested about the money they can extract from the rich...

In line, with that 'capitalistic thinking' there is a move to increase the charges (which is already unaffordable for the poor and/or normal Malaysian) of heart healthcare in Malaysia...BN wants to increase fees for heart healthcare - STOP it, and make it free healthcare for all not just the rich..

I remember also reading that the DG of Health (or Minister of Health) complaining that there was still about RM12 million in unsettled medical bills in government hospitals. The government should just absorb this - for most likely, those who have not been able to pay cannot afford it.

Our hospitals should not be charging people for healthcare. In fact, to assist further, maybe we should also be re-imbursing cost of travel to and from hospitals. Maybe, we should also be having incentives for all to have regular medical check-ups. After all, prevention is better than cure.

People - their health and their well-being must be the priority - not the money that we can make from health/healthcare...

We need a new DG of Health who understands this...