FEBRUARY 23 — I refer to your report "No light at the end of tunnel, doctors says after MoH townhall on Malaysia’s healthcare problems”.

The report revealed that the MoH is requesting a threefold increase in allocation in the Budget 2023.

I fully support the move as our public health services has been neglected for far too long which has now resulted in the service being terminally ill.

Not only the facilities, machines and equipment are largely in deplorable condition, the health professionals and allied staff are demotivated, burned out, extremely overworked, grossly underpaid and weary.

This is a legacy issue which has been thrust onto the unity government and the new Minister of Health who took over the job for just two months now.

Other than granting a threefold increase for the public health service, the Health Ministry (MoH) must also immediately tighten its procurement procedures and ensure that there are no leakages and corrupt practises through inflated pricing.

A good example is the procurement of medical equipment, machines, and drugs which must be purchased direct from the manufacturers rather than cartels, middlemen, agents and distributors.

Even if the manufacturers are located abroad, MoH must utilise government to government (G2G) bilateral arrangements to procure and ensure that middlemen and cartels do not fleece the taxpayers money with inflated pricing which invariably accords the opportunity to line the pockets of some unscrupulous individuals within and without.

Other than ensuring that each item purchased is supplied, installed and commissioned as per strict established standards and specified deadlines, they must come with explicitly defined warranty periods, maintenance contracts, consumable pricing and availability, and training of the staff who will handle and operate the equipment.

When procurements are done via G2G, tax exemptions can be sought and obtained, and invariably the purchasing price will go down as well.

Procurement is both an art and science. Negotiations are basically an art, while establishing clearly the technical specifications, standards, reliability, adaptability, sustainability and durability are factors of science which requires competency and deep knowledge. Thus, we need qualified technical people to be purchasers and not just any Tom, Dick and Harry.

I fervently hope and pray that MoH will be successful in obtaining the threefold increase of allocation in the Budget 2023 and that they will value and safeguard every sen that they are granted.

*This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.