Over 200 doctors gather to protest display of drug prices rule
More than 200 doctors and private general practitioners (GPs) have gathered near the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) here to protest the mandatory display of drug prices under a law unrelated to the health sector.
The doctors started gathering at Laman Perdana near Perdana Putra at about 9.30am, holding signs that read, “Healthcare workers are undervalued”, “Unfair policies keep current and future doctors away”, and “Doctors have families, too”.
Ten representatives were escorted into the building to submit a memorandum at around 10.30am.
They were initially going to march from the health ministry’s headquarters to the PMO, but it is understood that they decided to gather at Perdana Putra directly as some participants are elderly.
The protest is organised by the Malaysian Medical Association’s (MMA) private general medical practitioners section.
Its chairman, Dr Parmjit Singh Kuldip Singh, said the protesters present included doctors from Kedah, Penang, Perak, Kelantan, as well as some who flew in from Sabah and Sarawak.
MMA has repeatedly said that it is not against the mandatory drug price display rule in itself but its implementation under a non-health related law.
The doctors argue that the rule should fall under the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998, not the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011.
MMA president Dr Kalwinder Singh Khaira also said health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad had promised that the price display rule would only be implemented after a review of GP consultation fees.
Consultation fees have remained unchanged for the last 30 years.
Source: Free Malaysia
Category: MJN enews
