PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) is expected to become a corporate entity next year, said Health Director-General Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah (pix).
“We are in a transition period, we have just appointed a new CEO and a new IT system is being looked into as well.
“Allow us to have this transition. By next year everything will be on,“ he told a press conference at the ministry.
He was responding to theSun’s report “License to Heal” following concerns raised by medical practitioners for not receiving the Annual Practising Certificate (APC) despite paying the fee last year.
The APC allows doctors to practise medicine as stated in the Medical (Amendment) Act 2012.
He added that physicians can still practise medicine while waiting for the physical form of the APC which is to be displayed in the practitioners’ premises.
“Yes, that is why I have said that they should not worry because they have applied (for the APC).
“We are trying to clear 1,000 APC (applications) per day. We hope we can clear it by end of January, latest by February.
“There are two things to the amended Medical Act they (the medical practitioners) need to do. One is the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points. They should get 20 points for the renewal of the APC, plus medical indemnity.
“(Although) the implementation is for next year but the collection of the points starts this year,“ he said.
The Medical (Amendment) Act 2012, an amendment to the Medical Act 1971, and the Medical Regulations 2017, which is to replace the Medical Regulation 1974, came into force on July 1, 2017.
The amended Act and its regulations are able to strengthen the functionality of the MMC as a corporate entity to regulate and ensure quality medical care is provided.
Doctors must have indemnity insurance and attend continuing education courses to upgrade their skills before they can renew their APCs.
The new requirement, which is to come into force in January, makes it mandatory for doctors to accumulate 20 CPD points.
This can be obtained by attending courses, seminars, workshops, which is organised throughout the year, to be able to practise.
Asked on how insurance companies will provide indemnity for doctors without a physical APC, he said: “We have the electronic form (and) the submission numbers are there, so if they have submitted for renewal, they should not worry.
Health Director-General Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah. — Bernama
