Isn’t healthcare a basic right of every Malaysian?


Photo: The Star

I REFER to the letter “Strong measures needed to solve issues in public healthcare” (The Star, Dec 20; online at bit.ly/star_publiccare). Public healthcare is more affordable and accessible to all, but it is under-resourced, overcrowded and patients are subjected to longer waiting time for procedures. Given that public healthcare caters to a large volume of patients, there are many areas requiring immediate attention.

Firstly, a recent news report that more than 200,000 indivi­duals will be left in the lurch due to inaccessible palliative care (PC) by 2030 is deeply concerning. Palliative care is defined as an approach that improves the quality of life of patients facing life-threatening illnesses by providing relief through pain and symptom management.

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