No two ways about it, we need more medical staff


Photo: Filepic/The Star

THE Malaysian Medical Association’s call for a 48-hour work week for doctors is reasonable and long overdue (“MMA suggests even shorter hours”, The Star, May 9; online at bit.ly/starhours). But let us be clear: the real obstacle is not a lack of doctors or money – it is decades of poor planning and misplaced priorities.

My analysis, based on Health Ministry data, shows:

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Monthly Plan

RM 13.90/month

RM 11.12/month

Billed as RM 11.12 for the 1st month, RM 13.90 thereafter.

Best Value

Annual Plan

RM 12.33/month

RM 9.87/month

Billed as RM 118.40 for the 1st year, RM 148 thereafter.

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