To include Traditional and Complementary Medicine (T&CM) as essential services by the National Security Council 

The Government of Malaysia announced the extension of the Full Movement Control Order (FMCO) until June 28, 2021. Essential services which include medical hospitals, clinics, and veterinary services are allowed to operate during this period of FMCO which was implemented since June 1, 2021. T&CM services, however, were not included in the list of essential services allowed by the National Security Council (NSC).

The Traditional and Complementary Medicine Act 2016 [Act 775] was enforced in 2016 and implemented in phases. The Act aims to regulate the practice and practitioners of T&CM in Malaysia in recognition of T&CM’s important contribution to the national healthcare system. The Act is aligned with many national policies set to facilitate the integration of T&CM into the Malaysian healthcare system and with many other international perspectives such as by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Essential services from a medical angle refer to services that if not provided or performed, would result in significant or rapid deterioration of the patient’s medical condition and potentially threaten their health and wellbeing. Essential healthcare services to the rakyat should not be disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Examples of essential healthcare services that require immediate attention but may be lacking during the period of FMCO are:

a) Support services impacted by time delay such as in-vitro fertilisation services
b) Management of chronic disease with recent relapses and/or poor control and medication refills
c) Management of cancer and chronic conditions
d) Management of trauma
e) Post stroke recovery for patients whose recovery would be impacted by time delay

While the public healthcare system is coping with the management of the COVID-19 pandemic, the management of chronic medical conditions faced by the severely ill (e.g. cancer, post stroke, malignant conditions etc.) and their family members should not be neglected. T&CM can play a role in increased accessibility to healthcare resources, facilitate the management and recovery of patients affected by chronic medical conditions. The maintaining essential health services: operational guidance for the COVID-19 context: interim guidance, 1 June 2020 Guideline by World Health Organization mentioned the prioritization of essential health services and its adaptation to changing context and needs. T&CM can contribute in averting indirect morbidity and mortality as well as prevent acute exacerbation of chronic conditions especially in situations where there is nationwide disruption of services or an overburdened public healthcare system.

We would like to urge the the National Security Council and the Ministry of Health to reconsider the inclusion of T&CM into the list of essential services and that T&CM businesses be allowed to operate and contribute to the delivery of essential healthcare services to the rakyat. The provision of T&CM services will be in accordance to enforced guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures by the National Security Council and the Ministry of Health.

Please sign this petition to support the recognition and inclusion of T&CM as an essential healthcare component and to allow the provision of T&CM services during the period of FMCO imposed by the Government. Thank you. #EssentialT&CM #HelpT&CM #T&CMHelp

要求国家安全委员会把传统和辅助医药纳为必需服务（Essential service)

马来西亚政府在2021年6月11日宣布将全面行动管制令 (FMCO) 延长至 2021 年 6 月 28 日。自 6 月 1 日起实施的 FMCO 期间，医院、诊所和兽医服务在内的必需服务被允许继续营业。然而，传统和辅助医药（包括中医）服务并未纳入国家安全委员会 (NSC) 允许的必需服务中，且被令停业。

2016 年传统和辅助医药法案 [Act775] 于 2016 年实施并分阶段落实。该法令旨在规范马来西亚传统与辅助医学的实践和从业者的职业标准，以肯定传统与辅助医药对国家医疗保健系统的重要贡献。该法令的落实符合马来西亚医疗保健系统的国家政策，即促进传统和辅助医学融入医疗体系，以及呼应国际医疗发展方向，如世界卫生组织（WHO）传统与辅助医药策略和联合国可持续发展目标。

从医疗角度出发，医疗必需服务是指如果该医疗服务中断，将导致患者病情迅速恶化并可能威胁患者健康甚至性命的服务。在 COVID-19流行期间，政府不应中断对人民对基本医疗保健服务的需求。因传统与辅助医药服务中断，逼切需要关注的案例包括：
a) 癌症的症状缓解和治疗
b) 近期复发和/或控制不佳且需持续服药的慢性疾病患者
c) 因延迟治疗而影响中风后患者的康复
d) 急性创伤如骨折管理
e) 因治疗中断而影响疗效的医疗服务，例如针灸辅助体外受精服务等

在公共医疗系统忙于应对新冠肺炎流行的同时，对重病患者（例如癌症、中风后、恶性疾病等）及其家人所面临的慢性疾病的治疗不应被忽视。传统与辅助医药可以在医疗资源的可及性方面发挥重要作用，协助慢性疾病患者的治疗和康复。根据2020年 6 月 1 日世界卫生组织发布COVID-19的卫生环境操作指南，基本医疗服务的优先顺序应适应不断变化的环境和需求而作出调整。在公共医疗保健系统面临崩溃的情况下，传统和辅助医药有助于预防慢性病的恶化，减少间接发病率和死亡率，而舒缓公共卫生系统的重担。

在此，我们要求国家安全委员会和卫生部重新考虑将传统和辅助医药纳入医疗必需服务，并允许传统和辅助医学业者继续为人民提供医疗保健服务。传统和辅助医药执业者将严格遵守国家安全委员会和卫生部制定的标准防疫措施以继续服务。

我们恳请您签署此请愿书，以协助将传统和辅助医药纳入基本医疗必需服务，并允许在政府实施的 FMCO 期间继续提供服务。谢谢您。