He said the requirement for a 1Malaysia clinic to be upgraded as a community clinic was for it to have at least 50 patients a day.

It should also have an area of more than 1,400 sq ft, with space for medical and pharmacy personnel.

“In instances where the 1Malaysia clinics do not meet the two requirements for the upgrade, but still see the need for health services, the health ministry will review the operating hours in line with the number of patient visits, attendance and trends to ensure that the existing resources are optimised.

“The ministry does not intend to close the 1Malaysia clinics but aims to upgrade and improve them,” he said at the ministry here today.

He said those who worked at 1Malaysia clinics were civil servants and should not worry about losing their positions as all of them would be absorbed into the community clinics.

He said the estimated cost for re-evaluation, upgrading and rebranding of the 1Malaysia clinics to community clinics ranged from RM5 million to RM10 million.

Dzulkefly said the arrival of patients to the 1Malaysia clinics had increased from 1.3 million to 6.59 million in 2017. The increase recorded for 2010 to 2017 is up to 5% per annum, he said.