Medical Act 1971: Amendment seeks to address gap between parallel pathway, local Master’s programmes, says health minister

KUALA LUMPUR, April 10 — The proposed amendment to the Medical Act 1971 (Act 50) seeks to address the gap between the parallel pathway programme (PPP) and the local master’s medicine programme, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad said.

Dzulkefly said as the Health Ministry nears completion of the amendment, they hope that this effort will help the government empower and regulate both programmes.

“I hope that once everything is in place, all of the graduates can be registered, not only involving those from the parallel pathway programme but also those who pursue local Master’s degrees,” he told reporters after visiting Ampang Hospital today.

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Earlier this month, Dzulkefly said the Health Ministry will propose to the Cabinet to expedite the proposed amendment to Act 50 by the Second Meeting of the Third Session of the Fifteenth Parliament in June 2024.

This is to ensure that medical specialists who have completed their training under the parallel pathway programme (PPP) will be registered and recognised, he said.

Separately, Dzulkefly said since February, the ministry recorded 10 cases of heatstroke and 32 cases of severe exhaustion due to the hot weather nationwide.

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“However, for infectious diseases triggered by the hot weather, the ministry has not recorded any cases yet, but we will continue to monitor the situation,” he said. — Bernama