JOHOR BARU - A medical certificate (MC)
from a massage or reflexology practitioner, anyone?
This is the worry of the Federation of Chinese
Physicians and Medical Dealers Associations after Health Minister Datuk Seri
Liow Tiong Lai announced the proposed Traditional and Complimentary Medicine
(TCM) Bill, which will allow traditional medicine practitioners to issue sick
leave certificates to patients.
The federation's head of TCM Tan Kee Huat
questioned if the MCs would be valid in court in case they were challenged or
not recognised by employers or insurance companies.
He said Chinese physicians, traditional
healers, acupuncturists, masseurs and even those engaged in foot reflexology
were issued with an annual practising certificate to allow them to carry out
their work.
"Since all of them are recognised by the
ministry, there must be a guideline as to who is qualified to diagnose and
treat patients, and issue them MCs.
"My advice is that only Chinese
physicians who are professionally trained are eligible to issue MCs.
"Even then, some qualified Chinese
physicians also provide massage and reflexology service. This is a grey area
the ministry needs to look into.
"Otherwise, a person who seeks a massage
service to relieve his muscle ache may insist on an MC or threaten not to
return again.
"When this occurs, abuse is certainly
inevitable," he told the New Straits Times yesterday.
It was reported that the bill was expected to
be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat soon and the enforcement of the bill was expected
to ease the burden of those who rely on TCM as the cost would then be borne by
insurance companies.
Tan said MCs were issued for sickness and
accidents.
In the event of those who met with an
accident, had bone fractures and needed a long medical leave for recuperation,
he said patients were likely to claim insurance too for loss of income.
Tan said the problem arose as to what kind of
sickness and accidents a Chinese physician was allowed to diagnose, treat and
issue an MC for.
"The length of MC is another matter. As a
normal illness usually needs one or two days of leave, a patient with bone and
joint problems as a result of an accident may need several weeks' or months' of
medical leave.
"These patients not only need an MC for
their insurance claims, they also need to produce medical evidence such as
X-ray reports by certified experts to substantiate their claims.
"I hope there are sufficient guidelines
on these so as to avoid unnecessary abuse by both patients and Chinese
physicians," he added.
Tan, nevertheless, welcomed the ministry's
move to allow Chinese physicians to issue MCs, as this was a sincere gesture by
the ministry in recognising Chinese medicine in the country.
There are about 3,000 registered Chinese
physicians and 5,000 registered traditional healers in the country.
Sim Bak Heng
New Straits Times
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