This is the question being posed by PKR’s Semambu assemblyman Lee Chean Chung.
Describing it as a “critical period”, Lee said the public expected all 96 hospitals represented by the Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) to “come forward and provide a service to the nation”.
He said it was known that many private hospitals were “raking in millions” in profits even during the pandemic lockdown period.
Under the Permai aid package announced by the government on Jan 18, an allocation of RM100 million has been set aside to enhance cooperation between private and public hospitals to combat the pandemic.
Lee urged health minister Dr Adham Baba to explain the details of the allocation.
“It is not morally acceptable for the PN government to declare an emergency on the one hand, and not demand that private hospitals take their fair share of social responsibility, on the other,” he said.
He also urged the private hospitals to “share their suggestions” on reducing the pressure on the public healthcare system.
Patients referred to private hospitals by government doctors
Dr Kuljit Singh, president of APHM, told FMT that patients were transferred from public to private hospitals at the discretion of government doctors.
“If a Covid or non-Covid patient needs to be transferred, it is the government doctors who will decide if they think the patient needs to be transferred to a private hospital. It is not for the patient to decide,” he said.
He said diplomats, expatriates and Malaysians who decide to seek treatment in private hospitals would have to pay on their own.
He said the charges would “remain the same”.
“We are charging normal (rates), our cost is fixed and we cannot go lower. Whatever we are charging is the lowest,” he said.
Kuljit also said the association had held discussions with insurance companies to cover Covid-19 patients, but the firms had stated that any pandemic was excluded from coverage.
CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST DATA ON THE COVID-19 SITUATION IN MALAYSIA
Stay current - Follow FMT on WhatsApp, Google news and Telegram