2408) MY NEWS HUB - 4/12/15 - PPIM WANTS JAKIM, HEALTH MINISTRY TO HAVE GUIDELINES ON UNIFORM FOR MUSLIM NURSE

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Islamic Development Department (JAKIM) and the Health Ministry have been urged to issue guidelines on uniform for Muslim nurses at government and private hospitals.

Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association (PPIM) chief activist Datuk Nadzim Johan said this followed a case of a nurse at a private hospital who was threatened with sacking for refusing to adhere to the hospital’s dress code.

The case involving the nurse was among 20 complaints received by PPIM this year on discrimination against Muslim nurses, he told a media conference here today.

The nurse, Naziah Sauni Samat, 24, who was at the media conference, claimed that her problem started when she refused to wear short-sleeve uniform to work.

“I was scolded and chased out of the hospital because of that,” she said, adding that she could not apply for a new job as her Annual Practising Certificate (APC) was being held by the hospital.

She said she had signed a one-year contract with the hospital.

“The directive for nurses at the hospital to wear short-sleeve uniform was issued two months after I started work there,” she added.

Naziah claimed that when she continued to ignore the directive, she was not allowed to enter the hospital premise.

“When I did (enter the premise), I was not allowed to do any job if not clad in the short-sleeve uniform.

“I was also warned by the hospital management that I would be imposed compound of RM5,000 for breaching the contract,” she said.

Naziah, who has a Diploma in Nursing, worked at a clinic before joining the hospital on Sept 1 this year, upon her return from Japan where she worked as a personal nurse for more than a year.

Naziah said she had lodged a report at the Taman Melawati police station on the mistreatment by the hospital last Nov 24.

Sumber : http://eng.mynewshub.cc/2015/12/04/ppim-wants-jakim-health-ministry-to-have-guidelines-on-uniform-for-muslim-nurse/

2802) THE STAR - 12/8/2015 - PUT TEMPORARY HALT TO E-CIG, SHISHA SMOKING, SAYS DR SUBRA

PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry has recommended a temporary halt to shisha and electronic cigarette smoking until the findings on the risks are announced in two months' time.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said his ministry was in discussions with various agencies and related parties to get their views on the effects these methods of smoking have on health.

"From the ministry's viewpoint, we deem these to be also smoking but just using different methods. The smokers will experience the usual effects of smoking except that the tar content might be lower while the nicotine effect remains the same.

"Don't make it (shisha or electronic cigarette smoking) a habit or think it is fashionable," he told a press conference here Wednesday.

An electronic cigarette (e-cig or e-cigarette), personal vaporizer (PV) or electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) is a battery-powered vaporizer that simulates the feeling of smoking, but without the tobacco combustion.

It was recently reported that some irresponsible users of these two methods were flavouring the active compounds with cannabis or liquid ketum for an “extra kick”.

Dr Subramaniam said the ministry discouraged people from cultivating ketum plants as a source of income as this was contributing to social problems among youths.

“There have been examples of students consuming ketum water mixed with Coca Cola before going to school. At school their minds are not on studies,” he said.

He added that legislation on banning ketum had already been brought to Parliament but had been delayed due to the need for more consultations.

In KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association chief activist Datuk Nadzim Johan urged authorities to probe the use of shisha sticks to find out whether it contains harmful substances that could lead to addiction like drugs.

Speaking at a press conference on a public speaking contest in conjunction with the National Day celebrations, he said the association feared abuse of this method of smoking could end up with the country having a higher number of addicts from the 1.2 million at present.

Bernama has reported that the sticks, which come in the form of a pen in various colours, can be easily bought between RM17 and RM20 per stick. – Bernama

Sumber: http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/08/12/Vaping-halt-temporary-Subra/

2791) THE MALAY MAIL - 29/7/2015 - MUSLIM CONSUMERS GROUP WANTS COMPLAINTS DATABASE FOR PRIVATE HOSPITALS

The Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia has urged the Health Ministry to set up a hotline to track the people’s grouses. ― File pic 

KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 — The Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia (PPIM) today called on the Health Ministry to set up a database for consumer complaints against private hospitals.

PPIM president Datuk Nadzim Johan said the association has received over 50 complaints this year against private hospitals that either provide poor services or overcharge their patients and suggested that the Health Ministry set up a hotline to track the people’s grouses.

“We want all private hospitals to have a notice board that will direct its patients to a hotline for consumers to make a complaint to the Health Ministry,” he said.

He added that in the meantime the public is encouraged to send their complaints to PPIM so they can compile proper statistics can to present to the government as proof that there is a need for better regulation on private healthcare.

“We have received many complaints not just from Malaysians, but also tourists and foreigners who have received poor medical services.

“Medicine is a respected profession so we don’t want a negative perception to develop. We don’t want it to become like hospitals in the US where doctors have a key performance index (KPI) based on how many patients they bring in every day,” said Nadzim, who is also deputy chairman of Yayasan Patriot Negara Malaysia.

Siti Marzairinah Osman, 51, was one such complainant who sought the help of PPIM.

She told the press here today that she is in the midst of suing a private hospital for negligence since discovering discrepancies in her bills in 2010 after undergoing surgery to remove fibroids.

“I was in the hospital for three months and ten days and underwent five surgeries in that hospital,” she said.

“I am still not well and I can’t even walk on my own. I need someone to be with me all the time because I can pass out at anytime.”

She said her bill cost her RM300,000 and that she had to sell her property to cover the cost.

PPIM director Datuk Mohd Mustaffa Hamzah blamed Siti’s case on the greed of private hospitals and that there were more victims in similar situations.

“The ministry needs to start a database so complaints can be made and action can be taken against these hospitals by either fining them or revoking their licenses,” he said.

Sumber: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/muslim-consumers-group-wants-complaints-database-for-private-hospitals

2780) THE STAR - 27/7/2015 - 'HIGH PRICE FOR DRUGS IF TPPA SIGNED'

PETALING JAYA: If the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPPA) gets signed as it is, consumer groups are worried that the increased price of medicines will force Malaysians to tighten their wallets again.

The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations secretary-general Datuk Paul Selvaraj said they were aware of the repercussions of the agreement if no amendments were made.

“The TPPA is currently being looked at, and our biggest concern is its impact on drugs. We feel that pharmaceutical companies are making medicines more expensive, and we have expres­sed these concerns before.

“We have to take another look at the agreement and find a way to get an outcome without negative impact to the consumers,” he said.

S.M. Mohamed Idris, president of the Consumers Association of Penang, explained that at its current state, the TPPA would make it more difficult for Malaysians to get access to generic drugs.

“The TPPA will increase the term of a patent. At present, the term is 20 years from the time a patent application is filed.

“This could be amended, with the TPPA, to 20 years after the patent is granted or after marketing approval is given by the Health Ministry.

“The term of patent will be much longer, thereby depriving the Malaysian consumer of cheaper generics for a long period of time,” he said.

Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia president Datuk Nadzim Johan agreed with his counterparts that the TPPA required changes.

“Most, if not all consumer groups, are against it. There are just too many parts in the agreement that are not to the consumers’ advantage.”

Malaysian Pharmaceutical Society president Datuk Nancy Ho, when asked if consumers might put the blame of a price increase on pharmaceutical companies, said there were other factors contributing to pricing when the TPPA was signed.

But she agreed that more time was needed before the Govern­ment signed the agreement.

“People are still in an adjustment period after the implementation of the GST (Goods and Services Tax), so this may not be the best time (for the TPPA),” she said.

Sumber: http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/07/27/High-price-for-drugs-if-TPPA-signed-Consumer-groups-Many-parts-not-to-consumers-advantage/