KUALA LUMPUR: There is an urgent need for problems surrounding the parallel pathway programme to be quickly resolved as the people need the services of medical specialists, said Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.
The higher education minister said to do so, the government was looking at holistic solutions, including amending the Medical Act 1971.
He said he had conducted discussions with the Health Ministry and also consulted the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) for advice.
"We want to ensure a holistic approach as it involves critical aspects, and should not be politicised or be taken advantage of because the people out there need the services of specialist doctors.
"We will be tabling (the amendment to the Medical Act 1971) in the next parliamentary sitting in July," he said after the attending the Securities Commission's investED leadership programme graduation ceremony.
On March 26, Bandar Kuching member of parliament Dr Kelvin Yii had urged the government to address the confusion over the recognition and registration of cardiothoracic surgeons from the parallel pathway programme (PPP).
He had said the programme, which started in 2016, had produced 32 surgeons, four of whom had completed training.
The four, however, had their applications to become full surgeons rejected by the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC).
The MMC, in a statement on March 25, said it had never recognised the Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh cardiothoracic programme.
On April 10, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad had said the proposed amendment to the Medical Act 1971 was to address the gap between the PPP and the local Master's medicine programme.
This was to ensure that medical specialists who have completed their training under the PPP would be registered and recognised.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the cabinet would discuss the issue surrounding the cardiothoracic surgery postgraduate programme at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) on Wednesday.
This was in response to certain calls made by several quarters, including the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA), for UiTM to open its cardiothoracic surgery postgraduate programme to non-Bumiputera trainees due to the shortage of specialists in the field.
The proposal, however, was opposed by UiTM student's council and several quarters who stressed that the university was established to protect the interests of Malay and Bumiputera students.
UiTM is believed to be the only university in the country that offers a parallel pathway training programme via a collaboration with the National Heart Institute.
Meanwhile, Zambry stressed that the problems surrounding the PPP for medical specialists was not an issue of non-Bumiputeras entering UiTM but the MMC's recognition of their certification.
"The four individuals who need to get their certification recognised need to continue their specialisation at available universities, and currently, only UiTM offers specialisation for cardiothoracic surgery.
"Let's say UiTM does allow them to enter and the four individuals complete their studies in UiTM, it is still up to the MMC to recognise their qualifications," he added.