Borneo - Private sector urged to help needy cataract patients

Citation

(2011), "Borneo - Private sector urged to help needy cataract patients", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 24 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijhcqa.2011.06224cab.007

Borneo - Private sector urged to help needy cataract patients

Article Type: News and views From: International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Volume 24, Issue 3

Keywords: Eye health services, Healthcare access, Mobile community health services

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai has urged the private sector to contribute to providing eye health services, especially cataract treatment for the needy due to the increase in such cases.

He said cataracts had been a leading cause of visual impairment and blindness in Malaysia and the problem could be treated if detection and treatment were carried out early.

He said a survey conducted by the ministry in 1996 indicated that 39 per cent of blindness in the country was caused by age-related cataracts.

“Last year, 26,500 people had cataract problem, an increase of 23 per cent (21,500 cases) from 2008”.

“The cases are increasing partly due to the rise in the number of the aged and late detection”, he told reporters after launching a joint community project of free cataract treatment for 40 patients organised by Optimax Eye Specialist Centre and Alcon.

He said many elderly people, especially in the rural areas, had suffered silently as their vision deteriorated progressively.

“In many cases, their continued suffering can be attributed to the lack of awareness, poverty, fear or the inability to access health care”, he added.

Liow said the government was also in the process of organising a similar but mobile community service to benefit patients suffering from refractive error and eye diseases.

He said the ministry was in discussion with the Defence Ministry, Tun Hussein Onn Eye Hospital, Yayasan 1Malaysia and other relevant parties to provide such service for needy patients, especially in the rural areas.

“In the long run, the 1Malaysia mobile clinics which will be launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak tomorrow, will also provide eye-care service.” Liow said currently, 36 out of 44 government specialist hospitals in the country provided ophthalmology service.”

There are 430 ophthalmologists nationwide, with 220 of them in the government hospitals while 210 are in the private sector.

“The current ratio is one ophthalmologist to 68,000 patients.”

“We are optimistic that the ratio will improve to 1:38,000 by 2020”, Liow said.

For more information: www.theborneopost.com