THE Ministry of Health (MOH) announced a significant move today to grant medical assistants (MAs) the authority to prescribe certain medications.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad revealed that the ministry would issue an administrative order allowing MAs to prescribe common drugs such as paracetamol, piriton, lomotil, and common antibiotics.
"This directive does not require amendments to the Poisons Act of 1952, as it can be implemented under the authority of the Health Director-General," Dr Dzulkefly explained.
He noted that MAs who specifically treat patients, particularly in rural areas where doctors may not always be present, would be granted prescription powers for certain categories of medication.
"I see this matter as very important because, for example, MAs working in rural areas such as Sabah and Sarawak often do so without the presence of doctors," he added.
Dr Dzulkefly’s announcement follows Medical Assistants Day, a yearly celebration that honors the contributions of MAs.
This year’s theme, "Digital Revolution: Evolution of Smart Medical Assistants," aligns with the broader goals of digitalizing the national healthcare sector.
Health Director-General Datuk Dr Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan confirmed that internal circulars regarding the new prescription powers would be issued soon, although a timeline for implementation has not been set.
Consultation hours at health clinics to stay for now
Meanwhile, MoH has no plans to expand the implementation of extended hours (EH) at health clinics, despite previous trials aimed at reducing congestion, Deputy Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni said in the Dewan Negara today.
Lukanisman explained that while EH was introduced at select clinics to address overcrowding, particularly in the Green Zone of the Emergency Department, it did not yield the expected results.
"The presence of patients increased even though we introduced extended hours. We found that the extended hours provide more opportunities for clients of the ministry to obtain services from our public health system," he stated.
The Deputy Minister clarified that the ministry is still studying the effectiveness of the EH model in alleviating congestion.
"Therefore, we are still studying the suitability of the (EH) method to reduce congestion in the Green Zone, as we have facilities that have introduced short-stay units in the Emergency Zone areas," he added.
EH, first implemented in 2008, was aimed at easing pressure on emergency departments by providing additional service hours at clinics.
Currently, 49 health clinics across the country have adopted EH, which operates on weekdays from 5:00 pm to 9:30 pm, and Saturdays from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.
In 2023, six health clinics were selected for the Special Task Force on Agency Reform (STAR) pilot project, which includes Bandar Botanik Health Clinic in Klang, Ampang Health Clinic, Taman Ehsan Health Clinic, Kuala Lumpur Health Clinic, Greentown Health Clinic in Perak, and Mahmudian Health Clinic in Johor. – March 10, 2025
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