Ministry resolved to cut waiting time at major clinics

PUTRAJAYA: Health clinics in major cities are to allow patients to collect medicine after receiving their SMS notification earlier and despatch medicine to patients' homes through Pos Laju as a means of slashing long queues at these clinics, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam.
He said the collection and despatch of medicine in this way would only be possible for patients who just had to collect their diminishing medicine and had no necessity to see a doctor.
"Another way to overcome the congestion at health clinics in major cities is to make an appointment for the patient to see the doctor, either in the morning, afternoon or evening.
"This will help to cut down on the waiting time for the patients," he said to reporters after taking along a media group from Putrajaya during his visit to the Puchong Health Clinic.
Subramaniam also said that several rural clinics would be upgraded to cater to the rising number of patients.
The country had 920 health clinics and 2,000 rural clinics, he said.
On the Puchong Health Clinic, he said that a new clinic would be built at a cost of RM25 million next to the existing one and that it was expected to be ready in the middle of next year.
"The new clinic would be able to overcome the congestion faced now whereby 1,000 patients sought treatment from 18 doctors on duty.
"Some of these patients had to come as early as 6am to get their queue number," he said. — Bernama