MIRI – Many native folk, including those registered as in the B40 income category, are not aware of the federal government’s free healthcare packages, raising concerns among a local non-governmental organisation.
Michael Ding, the ground officer for the Society for Rights of Indigenous People of Sarawak (Scrips), said very little publicity has been made on the Federal Health Care Protection Scheme for the B40 Group (Peka B40).
He told The Vibes today that despite the scheme being highly useful to lower-income folk and crucial to society's well-being, few are talking about it or promoting it among grassroots communities.
“We in Scrips found that even community leaders like longhouse leaders, village heads, chieftains and tribal heads are not really aware there is such a thing called Peka B40,” he said.
“They know more about welfare schemes like the ‘Bantuan Rakyat’ financial aid packages, but not about the Peka B40.
“Government officials and politicians don’t seem to publicise this Peka B40 to the longhouse communities,” he said, adding that politicians do not seem to aggressively promote it either.
He said that politicians visiting rural areas usually speak about politics, development projects and the like.
Ding stressed that such a useful community health project needs to be constantly promoted in longhouses and other rural settlements, adding that he had himself applied for the scheme.
He pointed out that local doctors also have the authority to recommend patients for B40 assistance.
Ding was commenting on why a large number of 583,253 Sarawakians in the B40 group have not utilised the free health and medical benefits provided by the Health Ministry under Peka B40.
Peka B40’s management body Protect Health Corporation (ProtectHealth) has cautioned that they are missing out on a lot of benefits available to them, attributing this to ignorance or lack of interest.
ProtectHealth chief executive officer Datuk Dr Anas Alam Fazli had said in a statement yesterday that the response to the scheme has been poor in Sarawak.
He noted that the scheme offers free health screening in government clinics and hospitals, as well as at appointed private health facilities.
“It also provides up to RM20,000 to B40 eligible persons for buying vital health support equipment,” he said. “There is also RM1,000 cash aid for B40 cancer patients being treated at government hospitals.”
The scheme also covers transportation costs for B40 patients needing to travel long distances to get treatment in government hospitals.
“In Sarawak, so far only 78,241 people have taken up these Peka B40 benefits,” Dr Anas said.
“As many as 583,253 eligible B40 Sarawakians have until now still not utilised these free health benefits for them under the scheme,” he said.
Dr Anas said those who are already registered in the B40 category can visit their nearest government clinic and show their MyKad to staff to get the free health screening. – The Vibes, April 8, 2022
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