Health | Paulo Malo: Suspension did not target dental clinic, but affects it

Paulo Malo

The founder and president of the Malo Clinic Group, Paulo Malo, says that he has no responsibility over the management of TaivexMalo Day Hospital, which was suspended for six months (between November 23 and May 21, 2018) by the Health Bureau (SSM). The medical facility is being accused of providing unauthorized medically assisted procreation and cancer treatment services.

Interviewed yesterday by the Times, Paulo Malo confirmed that he currently has a share of around 10 percent in the day hospital, which is owned and managed by a pharmaceutical company from Tianjin. As he explained, the suspension also affects the dental clinic Malo owns and operates independently inside the TaivexMalo Day Hospital, located at The Venetian Macao. “Malo Clinic provides only the dental services and rents a space [from] TaivexMalo Day Hospital. It is unfair to say that Malo Clinic was shut down because we weren’t closed,” Malo said, acknowledging that the situation causes “damage to our [Malo Clinic] image” and financial losses.

Although the dental services are autonomous, they operate under the same license as TaivexMalo, which means that the dental clinic is affected. “We have a common door and that door is closed, so we can’t have access to our facilities. Besides, we work under the same license. We wanted a separate license and requested it, but we don’t have it yet. Unfortunately we are using the PHC [Pacific Health Care, the legal entity that was initially behind Malo Clinic] license. Given that the license was suspended for six months, that means we can’t work, because the front door can’t be opened, we can’t access our space and our license is linked to theirs,” the dental surgeon explains.

“In the beginning, all that [the entire facility] was Malo Clinic. Around three years ago we sold our share in PHC. We were major shareholders of PHC and then there were minority shareholders. The minority shareholders sold to other partners and we sold almost all our shares – I believe we have around 10 percent [of the company] – and obviously passed the management [to the new owner]. It stopped being named Malo Clinic and started being named TaivexMalo,” Paulo Malo explained. “They have 90 percent of shares and 100 percent of management. We don’t take part in the management and we don’t know what’s happening there,” he adds, claiming that the company’s management changed and he was not even informed. The number of people currently employed by the TaivexMalo Day Hospital is also unknown to him.

According to the famous dental surgeon and health guru, when the sale to the Tianjin group – which now controls 90 percent of PHC – was completed, Malo Clinic ceased to have any management role in the company. “I also wanted the name [Malo] to be removed. But following negotiations [they insisted] the name was kept because it gives credibility. We agreed it would be TaivexMalo during some time, after which we had the intention of dropping it. If we don’t have a say in the management, we can’t have our name there, otherwise we are taking risks and that is what happened,” Paulo Malo said. “This is what I feared. When you give your name for another person to use and there is no control over how it is used… If the person is honest there’s no problem, but if there is a mess up you face the consequences. And that is what happened.” The Malo Group president said that his plan was to sell the remaining 10 percent of the company and remove the name. “They postponed the sale of the 10 percent because they know our name would be removed and that would make them lose credibility.”

Besides the suspension of the operation of the TaivexMalo” Day Hospital, the clinic was fined with MOP76,000. In addition, a fine of MOP103,000 was also applied to four doctors and one nurse. The license of one of the doctors was suspended for a period of 90 days.

In a statement issued on Friday, the SSM stated that they received several complaints in 2016 and 2017 that alluded to the illegal practice of cancer treatment services and medically assisted procreation techniques at the TaivexMalo Day Hospital. The complaints also alluded to the “trafficking and smuggling of drugs for cancer treatment.”

During the site inspections conducted by SSM at the medical facility, evidence such as clinical files and medical prescriptions were found.
It was also found that a site in mainland China advertised the provision of medically assisted procreation services in the TaivexMalo Day Hospital.

In response to questions from journalists regarding the suspension of the medical facility, the director of Health Services, Lei Chin Ion alluded to a previous inspection made to the “TaivexMalo” facilities, which was reported by the press earlier. He said that, following a complaint in June 2016, at the time, the SSM “could not find any concrete evidence of the offense” but made some recommendations.” However, Lei Chin Ion stated that in the last few months, evidence of the provision of medically assisted procreation techniques and drugs used for cancer treatment was found at the medical facility. During the inspections, the doctors involved, the health professionals and the person in charge of this medical facility were questioned.

The SSM also found that facilities such as the medical labs did not meet safety and hygiene requirements. Paulo Malo reacts to the accusations denying any responsibility in the management: “The government says that the company PHC, which owns the hospital TaivexMalo, has done some irregularities. I honestly don’t know the details. […] I didn’t have any notion [of those irregularities]. I go to China every month and I will go to Beijing to have a meeting with Tianjin pharmaceuticals. I’m going to ask them what is happening. […] I’m going to be tough with them and tell them that this can’t happen. It did happen because they want 100 percent management.”

“It is completely wrong from the part of Tianjin pharmaceuticals to do those medical procedures. It shows lack of respect to us and it is illegal, we can’t collude with that. It is incredible,” Malo added.

The dental surgeon told the Times that there are around 20 people working for the Malo dental clinic affected by the suspension. He adds that the company is “in the finishing line” of the process of opening a new clinic in Macau and obtaining a new license. Paulo Malo intends to talk with the local authorities soon. “We want to explain that we have nothing to do [with the day hospital] and work independently. We want to see if the government speeds up the license project that we requested months ago. The new clinic is under construction works and waiting for the new license.” PB

Case referred to the MP

According to the SSM, “there were no victims resulting from the irregularities found at TaivexMalo.” However, the bureau dies not exclude the possibility of a criminal sanction since the case was referred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP).”If all the requirements are met, the establishment, the facility can restart its operation. If the existing conditions are not improved within the period indicated above, the license may be canceled,” SSM claims. In May, SSM published instructions for medically assisted reproduction treatments to regulate the provision of techniques such as artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization and transfer of embryos, gametes or zygotes. According to those instructions, these techniques can only be applied with prior authorization from the bureau. The SSM director, Lei Chin Ion confirmed that the Kiang Wu Hospital recently requested the right to provide medically assisted procreation and the process is currently being assessed.