I REFER to the letter from K.G.C of Ipoh suggesting that Malaysia should “Opt for cost-effective policy” in respect of medical courses (NST, April 17).

I believe the Malaysian healthcare system should aspire towards First World standards, instead of Third World standards.

Why settle for anything less?

With all due respect, I don’t think that the public healthcare systems in Russia, Ukraine and Indonesia are of First World standards, whereas public healthcare systems in Britain (apart from the well-publicised lapses in the National Health Service), Australia, New Zealand and Ireland could reasonably be said to be close to First World standards.

This is reflected in the quality and reputation of the medical schools in these countries.

There is an on-going debate in local medical circles about those who have graduated from “unrecognised” medical schools.

This has yet to be settled, and the country is the loser in that so many Malaysians who enrolled at these universities and studied to be doctors have ended up being “unrecognised” in their own country.

It is time the government, through the Health Ministry, the Malaysian Medical Council and the Malaysian Medical Association got together to resolve this problem once and for all.

I think that we could learn from Singapore, which has one of the best public healthcare systems and some of the best public hospitals in the Asia-Pacific region.

The Singapore government, through the Singapore Medical Council, has made a pragmatic decision to recognise basic medical degrees from 159 medical schools (including our own Universiti Malaya and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia) in 28 countries.

These medical schools are generally acknowledged to be among the best in the world.

It should be noted that there are no medical schools from Russia, Ukraine and Indonesia on this list of “approved” medical schools.

Instead of re-inventing the wheel, the local authorities might want to consider adopting the list of basic medical degrees from the 159 medical schools already checked out by the Singapore government.

With regard to the letter writer’s plea to opt for a “cost-effective” policy in training Malaysian doctors, the Singapore list offers several affordable medical schools.

There are two in Hong Kong, eight in China, nine in India, three in South Korea, two in Taiwan, and one each in Japan, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

Why not let those on Public Service Department scholarships study medicine at these schools if medical schools in Canada, Australia, Britain or the United States are too expensive?

Ditto for those Malaysian students who have to pay their own way to study medicine and who are not able to gain admission to the UM and UKM medical schools?

A commonality of standards between Malaysia and Singapore with respect to “recognised” medical schools and registrable basic medical degrees would be beneficial to both countries.

It may even encourage Malaysian doctors and medical specialists who are now working in Singapore’s public healthcare system to consider returning to work in Malaysia.

Of course, other important issues like rural postings, remuneration, career paths and opportunities for post-graduate training should be resolved as soon as possible, in accordance with the principles of meritocracy and equal opportunities.

The bottom line is that Malaysians, whether VIPs or ordinary people, should not have to settle for anything less than the best possible public healthcare system. We deserve no less.

Source: NST – April 21, 2008