General practitioners must organise, unite

Photo: IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star

THE role of primary care general practitioners has been debated and recognised as an important component in a holistic healthcare ecosystem. A well-structured primary care system is the backbone of a good cost-effective healthcare delivery system. While this has been advocated by the Health Ministry and all stake­holders, nothing is being done by any responsible body to create a pathway or structure to ensure such a sustainable system.

The cost of healthcare will definitely go up due to newer techno­logy, increasing drug prices, and increases in other costs like wages, rental and disposables. The sensible way is for the authorities to find ways in which healthcare needs can be met effectively at a lower cost. For this, primary care has to be empowered to provide more ­rather than fewer services, and create a gatekeeper system to ­secondary and tertiary care.