KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 — Multilingual patient appointment booklets by public health clinics are intended to ensure the continuity of patient care, said a contributor involved in the policy.
Jeremy Ang, who was directly involved in the drafting of the National Health Literacy Policy (NHLP) together with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and World Health Organization (WHO), said the NHLP aims to develop a comprehensive national strategic communication plan across agencies, focusing on specific target groups.
“The primary responsibility of the health sector is to save lives and to deliver accurate, clear and effective medical information to the public, regardless of background,” Ang, who is also Kepong PKR deputy division chief, told CodeBlue.
“MOH appointment booklets serve as an important instrument to ensure the continuity of patient care.
“Within the context of community clinics such as Sri Rampai Klinik Kesihatan, this approach is vital in supporting at‑risk target groups, including: ‘Dengue patients for follow‑up appointments to monitor haematocrit, platelet count, and warning signs’,
Malay rights group Perkasa has opposed the use of Chinese-language appointment booklets by Sri Rampai Klinik Kesihatan in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur, saying in a statement yesterday that official documents must use the national language.
“Malaysia is not alone in implementing this approach. Developed countries have long adopted multilingual policies in the health sector to ensure patient safety and health care system efficiency,” said Ang, citing Singapore, Australia, and the United States.
Singapore uses its four official languages in all public health campaigns and health literacy materials in hospitals to prevent information gaps between ethnic groups.
Australia provides comprehensive translation services and health information in multiple languages to guarantee equitable access to health care.
The United States, through the Civil Rights Act, requires health care facilities that receive federal funding to provide language access services to avoid treatment errors that could be life‑threatening.
“If other countries can adapt their communication to save lives, it is not appropriate for Malaysia to take a step backwards due solely to narrow political considerations,” said Ang.
“Diseases, viruses, and medical emergencies do not recognise race, religion or political ideology. Failure of patients to attend appointments due to language confusion can have serious implications, including increased burden on the national health care system.”
The Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya Federal Territories Health Department issued an apology for the MOH’s own policy.
It said in a statement yesterday that the use of a Chinese-language dengue patient monitoring record card at the Setapak health clinic involved a paediatric patient who sought treatment for suspected dengue fever last Monday.
“JKWPKL&P would like to stress that the official language used for patient monitoring records is Bahasa Melayu,” said the health department.
“However, to assist communication and patient monitoring in areas with a high density of dengue cases, the clinic also provides monitoring cards in several languages as a communication support initiative for patients and caregivers, according to language suitability.
“In this case, there was an unintentional error in which a card in a different language was given to the patient’s caregiver. Nevertheless, explanations regarding treatment and monitoring were provided by the medical officer to the patient in Bahasa Melayu, including written notes on the card.
“Accordingly, JKWPKL&P has taken immediate improvement measures to ensure that monitoring cards are distributed more carefully and appropriately, while maintaining Bahasa Melayu as the official language in the delivery of government health care services.”
