BM Hospital eye clinic struggles to cope with patients

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Patients waiting through lunch hour at the BM general hospital eye clinic

This was the scene at the Bukit Mertajam General Hospital over the lunch break today (1.45pm) at the ophthalmology department. Some senior citizen patients who arrived for their appointments earlier this morning had not yet seen the doctors.

Some of them just waited here without lunch. Maybe they didn’t have transport to venture out or they didn’t have money for lunch at the hospital canteen, if they knew where it was.

I was accompanying a senior citizen, a retired senior health inspector, whose appointment was at 10am today. After a long wait, he was told that he could only be seen at 2.30pm but it is past 3pm and he has still not yet seen the doctors. (Finally, he was called in at 3.48pm and we only left the hospital at 4.30pm. A tentative date was given for his cataract op – towards the end of November 2018, almost nine months away. But he has to come back again in October with various test results before the op date can be confirmed.)

During an earlier visit, they had told him, much to his dismay, that they had misplaced his card (still not computerised in 2018?) and so he had to make more trips here from his home in a neighbouring town.

Another patient who had been here for a 9am appointment said he had not yet been seen (by 3pm).

“Why call patients to come at a certain time when they lack doctors to see the patients especially after Chinese New Year when a few of the doctors are on leave?” said the former senior health inspector, clearly disappointed with the overstretched service. What an utter waste of time and what a sad situation.

These large crowds are not an isolated instance as similar throngs were seen during earlier visits (see below).

Another long wait at the BM general hospital ophthalmology department

I feel sorry for these patients many of whom are senior citizens who have to wait for a long time and make repeated trips to visit the clinic.

Also pity the staff and doctors who have to cope with the heavy patient load.

May I suggest that some of our political leaders register here in Bukit Mertajam the next time they need an eye procedure or cataract removed instead of going to big city hospitals or posh private hospitals.

The health minister and his team should hit the ground and visit such hospitals and talk to the patients about their experience. Then maybe, just maybe, they will understand what the public have to go through.

Why can’t the BN federal government build more eye clinics and hire more staff? Unfortunately it spends only about 2% of GDP on public healthcare, a big chunk of it going to privatised drug procurement and privatised support services.

Instead so much public money has also been squandered through mismanagement and corruption.

So it is not surprising to see our general hospitals crowded, underfunded and overstretched.

The Penang state government for its part seems more interested in medical tourism, which reaps profits mainly for the private hospitals.

I think the only MP who has consistently highlighted shortcomings in the public healthcare system over the years is Sungai Siput MP Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj.

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Wengseng Chan
20 Feb 2018 3.23pm

Failure of BN to serve yhe rakyay.

Mah HS
Mah HS
15 Mar 2018 7.37am

Health Alert!

Microplastics found in 93% of bottled water tested in global study.

https://www.google.com/amp/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4575045

What we drink may well be contaminated. Possibly from the bottles themselves!

yjyeoh
yjyeoh
26 Feb 2018 8.29pm

The comments here are so one sided that I just have to respond. I think if forums like this are more bipartisan and less polarised then I believe the country will progress better as constructive discussions can be held. Instead of unsubstantiated (without facts) attacks against the ruling party and government when one is more objective then proper dialouges can be held to improve the management of the country. Firstly I would like to state that the Malaysian public healthcare system is actually pretty good. Not my words but according to the United Nations: The UN Development Programme has called… Read more »

glissantia
glissantia
21 Feb 2018 5.09pm

https://www.alternet.org/food/16-health-problems-improved-patients-who-switched-gmo-organic-diets

In the religion of capitalism, any public benefit except the most dire is a sin. For relief from increasingly unavoidable illnesses, people must be coerced to spend their last bit of money for the benefit of the almighty billionares and trillionares.

gooner
gooner
20 Feb 2018 9.36pm

1. In 2014, Malaysia healthcare spending was 4.2%, not 2 % as stated.
https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.XPD.TOTL.ZS

2. Waiting times for non-urgent medical cases are long even in developed countries with similar healthcare systems (e.g., UK)
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/aug/15/nhs-waiting-times-and-treatment-access-are-a-postcode-lottery-report-warns

tunglang
21 Feb 2018 7.17am
Reply to  gooner

Malaysia doesn’t have much money (to run the country) BUT still want to help certain refugees coming from other countries!
Should have channeled the much need monies to our own ailing health care system.

shriek
shriek
22 Feb 2018 6.52pm
Reply to  tunglang

When ah soon, calvin and dummo engineer visit this, ah pek can complain to them. But they are too scare. Good in curi ayam hit and run

tunglang
22 Feb 2018 8.53pm
Reply to  shriek

Don’t be scared! The Bunians are coming for you!

shriek
shriek
25 Feb 2018 10.45am
Reply to  tunglang

Ah pek good to tell ah soon, calvin and dummo engineer dont be scared

tunglang
26 Feb 2018 10.24pm
Reply to  shriek

Don’t spin!…

shriek
shriek
21 Feb 2018 10.00am
Reply to  gooner

Buddy, non urgent can wait. But here, dummo tell you to come at certain date and is agreed appointment. If dont keep appointment, still want tdummo, mca and gilakan when we pay gst and hasil dlm negeri?

Seniors Vote Wisely for Heathcare
Seniors Vote Wisely for Heathcare
20 Feb 2018 7.46pm

Healthcare to become major concern for retiring seniors with limited cash to sustain daily expenses.

Knowing this BM problem, better think hard if present government not able to pump in more money in public healtncare sector due to unnecessary wastage.

tunglang
21 Feb 2018 7.13am

BN not able to take care of Rakyat’s health care needs BUT trumpeted to the world to take care of Trump’s US economy!
Ke-kak kong tua khang!

Shepard
Shepard
21 Feb 2018 3.21pm
Reply to  tunglang

The money invested in US is EPF money la. Where do you think you get your dividend from. Sheep will be sheep.

Norman
Norman
20 Feb 2018 7.10pm

I hope Steven Sim, the current Member of Parliament for Bukit Mertajam constituency, could escalate thi matter to the attention of Subramaniam the Health Minister.

shriek
shriek
20 Feb 2018 9.08pm
Reply to  Norman

You think it is only in BM, situation even worst in east malaysia and they are loaded with oil, gas, timber and oil palm. So ah soon, calvin and dummo engineer are having good times with kfc finger licking from pay master telling how good is the central gomen. 1MDB, sup sup sui. Dummo still can afford

tunglang
20 Feb 2018 6.03pm

3 As a frequent blood donor @ Pg GH, I was required to undergo a comprehensive health checkup by certain age as I did not have one for the past 8 yrs. Note: Belum rainforest trekking kept me healthy & stressless sans an annual H.C. I had to make 3 appointments, first 2 app. with duration of about 4 hrs, all 3 spaced out in 2 weeks, so I had to take 2.5 days leave. Each appointment with a different doctor of foreign accent. Q: Why has it taken 3 days when 1 day is all it took for me… Read more »

shriek
shriek
21 Feb 2018 7.10pm
Reply to  tunglang

Go and complain to ah soon, Calvin and Dummo Engineer. … Dummo is pokkai and how mic e minister can get from dummo gomen?
Belum beware. Can get ebola, yellow and all kinds of infested nymuk and mabuk spreabable disease and pg island may declare emegency and off limit zone.

tunglang
21 Feb 2018 9.06pm
Reply to  shriek

Orang Bunian is still waiting patiently. Scared?
I would like to suggest to them they come to you since they know where you are!

shriek
shriek
22 Feb 2018 11.32am
Reply to  tunglang

Please do or another big talk by ah pek

Henry Thia
Henry Thia
21 Feb 2018 7.49pm
Reply to  tunglang

Blood donor got benefits like express queue?

tunglang
21 Feb 2018 9.04pm
Reply to  Henry Thia

Blood donors get preference attendance when they come to blood bank to donate blood. Come at own expenses like travelling.
So, it’s expected that they be given preference.
Is that asking too much????????
Btw, how many times have you donated blood in your life time? Once?

Stanley Ting
20 Feb 2018 4.32pm

maintain status quo just like maintaining construction and development as status quo.

shrieki
shrieki
20 Feb 2018 5.57pm

Ask ah soon, calvin and dummo enginner if they are best. Best among the dark continent

tunglang
20 Feb 2018 5.22pm

Ordered 2 Cannot-Submerge Yellow Submarines, boleh!
Comes to Rakyat’s health care facilities, medicine & staffing, absolut vodka useless & heartless!
Pls return to us the tax monies!
For the time being, they continue to ‘top up’ the government staffing in other less urgent services!