Outstation patients also flocking to Klang Valley to get therapy faster

PETALING JAYA: A dearth of occupational therapists (OTs) in the country has led to some accident victims and surgery patients being placed on a two-month waiting list for treatment.

Many of them even have to make their way to the Klang Valley where a majority of these skilled personnel are based.

“In Malaysia, we have around 1,800 occupational therapists but we are required to serve a population of about 32 million. That is a ratio of 1:17,777,” Malaysian Occupational Therapy Association president Soh Say Beng said.

This rate is three times below the global average of occupational therapist-to-population ratio of 1:5,000.

Patients in the Klang Valley are in a better position as it has the largest concentration of occupational therapists in the country.

Among others, occupational therapy is required to help surgery patients regain mobility of their limbs or to help children with learning disabilities.

In an interview, Soh cited a case about a robbery victim in Malacca who had to travel some 200km three times a week to Kuala Lumpur just to receive adequate treatment.

“As she cannot drive anymore, she has to take a taxi ride all the way from Malacca to University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC). Each trip costs around RM500, which is a heavy burden on her and her family,” he said.

The woman’s hands were left limp when she was slashed during a robbery attempt. Surgery successfully reconnected her tendons but she has to relearn how to use both her hands with the help of professional therapists.

Though all major public hospitals have their own occupational therapists, Soh said the teams were small and the waiting time to receive treatment could be up to two months.

Such a long wait, he said, could be detrimental to the patient’s recovery.

“Ideally, patients should receive OT intervention within a week.

“The longer you wait, the patient’s muscle grows weaker from disuse; their limbs become still and their motivation drops drastically,” he added.

The UMMC’s department of rehabilitative medicine, where Soh works, has 103 OTs and is the largest and most established rehabilitation centre in Malaysia.

However, its staff strength was just enough to meet the demands of patients based in the area, Soh said.

Patients in rural or sub-urban areas are facing greater setbacks.

“District hospitals and health clinics are not well staffed with OTs. It makes it harder for us to reach out to those who need treatment,” he said.

Soh said OTs would help patients regain their functional abilities so that they could carry out their daily activities.

At present, many Malaysians who suffer physical or mental impairment are unable to return to work, ending up staying at home under their families’ care.

“Our task is to get them to regain their independence, so that they can lead a productive life,” he said.

He said that in countries such as Australia, Japan, Hong Kong and Canada, the role of an OT would extend to areas including insurance claims consultancy, special needs education, palliative care and even city planning.