BALIK PULAU: The draft amendment to the Medical Act 1971 to address the gap between the parallel pathway and local Master’s medical programmes has been submitted to the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) for a review, says Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
The Health Minister said engagement sessions would also be held with stakeholders, including the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC), Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA), and Higher Education Ministry.
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“The amendment has been submitted to the AGC for a review.
“And before that, we will have engagement sessions with stakeholders.
“Once that is all completed, we will present the amendment to the Cabinet with the hope the Bill for amendment can be tabled in the coming Parliament meeting this month.
“We want to table it in the first week of the meeting, so that it can be debated in the third week,” he told a press conference after launching the RM30mil Air Putih health clinic here yesterday.
The clinic provides outpatient treatment, maternal and child health services, dental care, emergency services, pharmacy, and lab diagnostics.
The Star reported in March that the shortage of cardiothoracic surgeons had left some 1,500 heart and lung disease patients in government hospitals in dire straits.
Malaysian graduates sent by the government to study cardiothoracic surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) are unable to practise in Malaysia as their qualifications are not accepted by the MMC.
Earlier, Dzulkefly announced several ongoing and upcoming projects to enhance healthcare facilities in Penang, including the RM30mil Bandar Tasek Mutiara health clinic in Seberang Perai and the RM54mil health clinic in Mak Mandin, Butterworth, which will be built next year.
