00:00Patients from low-income groups need to be protected from financial burdens if the National Heart Institute raises the service charge from 10% to 40% for patients referred to by the Ministry of Health.
00:15A spokesman for Falkuti Pharmacy, Monash University, Mark Cheong, said this charge may cause a number of patients unable to pay the treatment cost.
00:25He said the high cost of treatment should not be an obstacle for them to get treatment.
00:30Last week, IGN Executive Officer Dr. Izani Taib reported that the cost has increased since the service charge structure was established more than 20 years ago.
00:41Meanwhile, Executive Officer of Gallon Center, Azrul Khalid, said that the supply of IGN charges has long been delayed.
00:49However, he said it may cause more low-income patients who deserve to require subsidies.
00:56He said that since IGN was established as a private company, it must generate income and manage its operations without depending on public funds.
