Friday, June 13, 2008

Call for better health cover - NST

IPOH: Jun 13, 2008 By Veena Babulal

Raja Permaisuri Perak Tuanku Bainun patting 2-month-old Armaya Nur Nafesa while visiting the hospital’s paediatrics ward yesterday.

Private companies have been urged to offer a wider range of health and medical coverage schemes.

Sultan of Perak Sultan Azlan Shah, said this would ease the government's financial burden of providing subsidised healthcare and medical services.

He said the government had spent a lot of money on healthcare but there were limits to this, adding that the nation's financial resources were not limitless.

"At the same time, to encourage companies to contribute more towards lightening the burden of the people, the government should also introduce more tax breaks or rebates for them," he said at the renaming of the Hospital Ipoh here to Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun yesterday.

Sultan Azlan said private health schemes would help in cutting the government's health and medical expenses in view of the rising cost of treatment, medicine and medical equipment.

The ceremony was attended by Raja Permaisuri Perak Tuanku Bainun, Raja Di-Hilir Perak Raja Jaafar Raja Muda Musa and his wife Raja Puan Muda Raja Nor Mahani Raja Shahar Shah.

Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai and Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin were also present.

Sultan Azlan called on the medical and healthcare practitioners in the hospital to treat patients with patience.

"As patients are tested by their illness so are the medical practitioners who are supposed to treat them. Love, good bedside manners and dedication are the ingredients of good cure," he said.

No comments: