The ownership of IJN Holdings allows the govt to hold the majority of the stake in the institution

By SHAHEERA AZNAM SHAH / Pic By MUHD AMIN NAHARUL

The government is considering to transfer the ownership of National Heart Institute (IJN) to the Health Ministry.

Its Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said there has been ongoing Cabinet discussion on the matter.

“There has been queries on the ownership of the IJN on whether it will be put under the Health Ministry, and I will seriously consider the proposal,” Dzulkefly said at the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute’s “Till Eleven Morning Insights” in Subang Jaya last Friday.

“In fact, this matter has been discussed in the Cabinet meetings. At the moment, IJN remains in its status quo,” he said.

IJN, established in 1992, was corporatised in 2005 and has been placed under IJN Holdings Sdn Bhd, an asset under Minister of Finance Inc.

The ownership of IJN Holdings allows the government to hold the majority of the stake in the institution.

Meanwhile, Dr Dzulkefly said collaborations between the public and private healthcare should be intensified to allow a balanced distribution of patients’ medical treatment in Malaysia.

He said currently, the government is accommodating 60% of the patients in the country.

“The private healthcare should embark in this social agenda, which is to take responsibility in treating patients when the capacity is peaked at the public hospitals.

“For example, government hospitals including all of our healthcare facilities are treating 60% of the patients in Malaysia when we can only cover 40% of them. This had led to issues of overcapacity and long waiting time,” he said.

According to Dr Dzulkefly, Health Advisory Council (HAC), an independent body recently established to advise the ministry on healthcare policy, had been engaging with the private sector to seek solution in allowing exchange of patients and the use of medical equipment between both sectors.

“HAC has started to discuss on how to better utilise the medical facilities and equipment, as the major portion of the patients are coming to government’s hospitals and clinics for treatments.

“On top of that, there is an issue of underutilised equipment at the private hospitals,” he said.

HAC, consisting of seven prominent figures in the healthcare industry, is chaired by the ministry’s former DG Tan Sri Dr Abu Bakar Suleiman.

The council is expected to be officially launched by the end of March.

“We will be rolling out plans for the healthcare industry and we have been working intensely to ensure that this initiative will be realised,” he said.