Sign our online petition to the PM

The Coalition has set up an online petition to the Prime Minister urging him to make no further move towards the implementation of a compulsory health insurance scheme until there has been a full explanation of the details to the people and an open discussion with all interested groups.

We need people to express their concern and sign the petition. Please do your bit.

The Coalition has also been going on a road-show around the country presenting talks to raise public awareness. To finance this and our other activities, we need funds.

Please support our work by mailing a cheque (made payable to Aliran) to 103 Medan Penaga, 11600 Penang. On the reverse side of the cheque, please write "Coalition Against Health Care Privatisation". It is important to write this; otherwise, the donation will be deemed to be for Aliran.

We need funds: Please donate to the coalition

The Coalition has been going on a road-show around the country presenting talks to raise public awareness. To finance this and our other activities, we need funds.

Please support our work by mailing a cheque (made payable to Aliran) to 103 Medan Penaga, 11600 Penang. On the reverse side of the cheque, please write "Coalition Against Health Care Privatisation". It is important to write this; otherwise, the donation will be deemed to be for Aliran.

People cannot afford higher medical bills

Let's take the case of a 40-year-old Ipoh resident who has just suffered a heart attack. If he is a government servant or the spouse of one, then he will be referred to the IJN or to University Hospital within a month where he will be assessed, put up for angiography and further treatment if that is found necessary, and all this will be for free – the government will pick up the bill.

If he is not a government servant, but has an income in excess of RM10,000 a month, or a comprehensive health insurance cover, he has the option of seeing one of the four interventional cardiologists in the private sector in Ipoh where the going rate for coronary angiography is RM4000, angio-plasty is RM8000, angioplasty with stenting is about RM15,000, and by-pass surgery is in the region of RM30,000.

Full article by Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj in Aliran Monthly.

Can we afford to fall sick?

In the past few months, the government has been attempting to resurrect a national health financing scheme (NHFS). This idea has been in the air for the past ten years or so. Usually it gets deferred due to opposition from the general public and other groups involved in health care. This time, however, the government appears to be more serious. This article by Subramaniam Pillay in Aliran Monthly tries to answer some key questions on the health care system and the proposed NHFS.

81 organisations say ‘No’ to privatisation of hospital dispensaries

Putrajaya, 23 December 2004

A demonstration was held outside the Health Ministry by around 400 people. A ten-member delegation led by Dr. Jeyakumar Devaraj (left) met with Health Minister Dr. Chua Soi Lek. Among the members of the delegation was PSM National Chairperson, Dr. Nasir Hashim, PAS Central Committee Member Dr. Hatta Ramli, Parti Keadilan Rakyat leader, Tian Chua, JIM Deputy President Hj Zairol, Jalil (SPNS), K.Arumugam (Concerned Citizens Group), Paul Sinnappan (People’s Service Organisation) and Lim Ban Teng (DEMA).

The final memorandum was endorsed by 81 civil society groups.

Welcome to the Coalition's new website

This is a site for updates on the Coalition's latest activities