Malaysia: Orthopaedics - Improved Care

The Ministry of Health will invest large sums of money to upgrade facilities and manpower for treatment of spinal problems.

There are currently 248 orthopaedic specialists, including 52 sub-specialists and 31 sub-specialist trainees in Malaysia.

The Kuala Lumpur, Raja Permaisuri Bainun and Sungai Buloh hospitals each have two spinal orthopaedic trainees and one in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kota Kinabalu.

There are eight spine orthopedic surgeons, one each at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Umum Sarawak Hospital, Sultanah Aminah, Pulau Pinang, Raja Perempuan Zainab Hospital, Sg Buloh Hospital and two in Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital, Ipoh.

The Ministry of Health will continue to spend large sums of money in training and purchase of equipment such as spinal monitoring systems, navigation equipment and specialised operating tables, along with specialised instruments needed for improved patient care. This is according to the Minister of Health when he declared open an "International Minimally Invasive Spine (MIS) Congress" in March 2014.

Purchases of orthopaedic equipment in 2012 totalled RM3.9 million while it was RM4.7 million in 2013.

He said outpatient numbers at orthopaedic clinics had increased from 770,150 in 2010 to 829,472 in 2011 and the number of inpatients also increased from 122,736 in 2010 to 130,469 in 2011.

/17-04-2014

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