The Ministry of Health has introduced traditional and complementary medicine in a few public hospitals in Malaysia lately. While it is undoubtedly popular among lay people, the efficacy of the treatment is still in much doubt, and yet to be supported by leading good quality evidence-based research around the world.It is rather concerning that the Ministry of Health would make choices based on popularity without considering its efficacy and value-for-money especially in improving mortality and morbidity. What more, the precious tax-payers money invested in the health system which is certainly not adequate to provide for the increasing need for primary care nor tertiary medical services, is unnecessarily spent on TCM providers whom may not deal with real biomedical problems.
While I understand that patients have the choice to opt for contemporary or alternative ones, it is preposterous that public funds are used to finance services that are show little or no significant benefit in disease intervention, while there are thousands more who are dying on waiting list for surgeries or cancer treatment. There are many more hospitals and clinics that are underfunded and are lacking in adequate medical equipments, struggling with the RM8 billion budget for health.
This is indeed a contradiction to some of the strategic plan laid out Ministry of Health, namely to
prevent and reduce the burden of disease, enhance the healthcare delivery system and optimise resources (p.9) through health indicators like average life expectancy at birth, crude death rates and infant rates. I don't see how having urut or munching Lidah Jin, or taking jamu Tongkat Ali or Kacip Fatimah, nor the poking needles onto one's biceps could have any effects whatsoever to those indicators. More evidence must be justified by the Ministry to randomly start up things on whim and fancy, rather than succumbing to popular cultural sentiments.
prevent and reduce the burden of disease, enhance the healthcare delivery system and optimise resources (p.9) through health indicators like average life expectancy at birth, crude death rates and infant rates. I don't see how having urut or munching Lidah Jin, or taking jamu Tongkat Ali or Kacip Fatimah, nor the poking needles onto one's biceps could have any effects whatsoever to those indicators. More evidence must be justified by the Ministry to randomly start up things on whim and fancy, rather than succumbing to popular cultural sentiments.
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2 comments:
Hahaha I found the announcement kind of dubious as well. Tapi, according to wikipedia at least, complementary medicine includes acupuncture and stuff sekali. Traditional = complementary, though? Instead of funding the services, MoH would be better of funding research, I think. Interesting, though, to think about it - I don't know if our MoH ada all the sorts of concepts that we learn in Pop Health, but I doubt it, very rarely do we see news about health in our newspapers as we do here in NZ. Kan best kalau Msia ada stats pasal inequities, morbidity, research itu, research ini - for one, interesting, and for another, boleh torture all the medic students in UM, IIU and etc as well haha.
Wow gila incoherent this comment haha.
Complementary medicine is a term used to describe therapies and techniques that are different to those used by most traditional medical professionals. Traditional medicine is provided by university trained doctors of medicine, health workers, physiotherapists, etc. at a hospital, health care centre or private practice.
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oliviaharis
ethical seo
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