A social media post has sparked discussion online after a user shared his thoughts about government hospital staff and their heavy workload.
The post, originally shared on Xiaohongshu, highlighted the OP’s appreciation for Malaysia’s affordable public healthcare system while calling for better pay and recognition for medical workers.
Realisation after visiting a government hospital
In the post, a user who goes by “喜欢唱歌的心理师‘, said he accompanied his father to a government hospital for a medical check-up.
While waiting, he noticed the hospital chairs were covered with scratches and signs of heavy use.
Seeing the worn-out seats made him reflect on the large number of patients that government hospitals handle daily.
I feel that we may have treated government hospital medical staff unfairly, especially when it comes to their salaries,” he wrote.
Family experience with affordable treatment
The user also shared that his father was diagnosed with Stage 3 colorectal cancer three years ago.
According to him, almost all the treatment costs were covered by the public healthcare system.
“My father had Stage 3 colorectal cancer three years ago, and 99% of the treatment cost was covered by the government hospital,” he said.
He added that the medical staff continued to help patients as long as they returned for follow-up treatments.
The experience made him feel even more grateful for the healthcare services provided.
As long as you have an IC, you can receive almost free medical services in our country,” he wrote.
Suggestion to slightly increase medical fees
Despite the benefits of low medical costs, the user believes Malaysians may have overlooked the contributions of healthcare workers in government hospitals.
He suggested that the public might be willing to pay slightly higher consultation fees if it could help improve staff salaries and hospital facilities.
“Instead of paying just RM1, I honestly wouldn’t mind paying RM10 for follow-up visits,” he wrote.
However, he also admitted that the idea might simply be his own personal opinion.
“I don’t know. Maybe this is just a very naive thought of mine.”
Many agree
The post quickly attracted attention online, with many users sharing their views in the comment section.
Some commenters agreed that healthcare workers in government hospitals deserve more appreciation for their dedication.
One user wrote, ‘Government hospital doctors are very busy. Sometimes consultations are slow, so we should be more understanding.’
Another commenter said, ‘Thank you for thinking about healthcare workers. It’s rare to see people in Malaysia expressing this kind of appreciation.’
Meanwhile, some also pointed out that Malaysia’s healthcare system remains affordable largely because of government subsidies.
Others added that any increase in medical fees would need careful consideration, especially for lower-income families who rely heavily on public healthcare.
One commenter, believed to be a foreigner, shared, “Malaysia’s healthcare is really affordable. I was shocked the first time I heard about it.”
Several commenters also highlighted that many essential goods in Malaysia are subsidised by the government.
Examples mentioned include fuel, cooking oil, flour, and previously eggs, which have also received subsidies at different times, easing the burden of many Malaysians.
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