Bold healthcare reforms needed for Malaysia's future, says Dzulkefly
Speaking at the 'Ilmuwan Malaysia Madani' Forum Series 7, Dzulkefly highlighted the challenges facing the nation's tax-funded healthcare system, including the dual burden of non-communicable and infectious diseases, overcrowded facilities, and a shortage of healthcare workers.
'Given the situation where we are faced with a fiscal space, we are essentially in distress because we have been a decade, if not more, underspending in health. That's been said by the Treasury,' he said.
The forum, themed 'Towards a Sustainable Healthcare System for All,' was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof. Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir was also present.
Dzulkefly emphasised that under the Malaysia MADANI vision, the Health Ministry is focusing on two key reforms: healthcare financing and digitalisation, alongside efforts to tackle human resource shortages.
'Health must not only be seen as a privilege, but recognised as a human right, the foundation of a just, productive and prosperous MADANI society,' he said.
He acknowledged that while increasing healthcare spending by one per cent of GDP might seem like a solution, it would negatively impact other ministries' budgets, making it unfeasible under current conditions.
'Given that situation, I have to be resourceful. How do I retain specialists? How do I invest more in public healthcare facilities and services and most importantly, in our human resources?' he added.
The Health Transformation Office (HPO) is exploring ways to diversify income sources to support these reforms. - Bernama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
5 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Free measles-rubella jabs for children under five from Monday
PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry (MOH) will roll out a free Measles-Rubella Supplementary Immunisation Activity (MRSIA) nationwide from Aug 4 to Oct 12 for children aged six to 59 months. It said the initiative targets children born between Aug 1, 2020, and Jan 31, 2025, aiming to strengthen the existing immunisation programme by boosting and restoring herd immunity. It said the programme also supports the national goal of eliminating measles by 2030, with the primary objective of raising immunisation coverage and providing early protection to prevent wider transmission. Measles and rubella are highly contagious diseases that can lead to serious complications such as ear infections, pneumonia, encephalitis, seizures, and could also result in death. MOH said both diseases can be prevented through the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps and rubella). Under the national immunisation programme, the MMR vaccine is administered at nine and 12 months of age, while in Sabah, an additional measles dose is given at six months. "Overall, Malaysia's immunisation coverage has exceeded 95 percent annually, including in 2024. "However, only 62 percent of districts achieved MMR coverage above 95 percent in 2024," the ministry said in a statement. It said a minimum target of 95 percent is crucial to build herd immunity and control the spread of the disease. Statistics show measles cases nearly doubled in 2024, with 3,791 cases recorded compared to 2,002 in 2023. "The number of outbreaks also rose to 231 in 2024, compared with 112 the previous year," the statement read. Of the reported cases, 44.1 percent involved children under the age of five, while 28.9 percent were non-citizens, of whom 84.3 percent had never been vaccinated. Three deaths were also recorded last year, all involving unvaccinated non-citizen children aged eight months, three years, and 17 years. The ministry urged parents and guardians to promptly bring eligible children for the free supplementary measles-rubella (MR) vaccination. Appointments will be sent via the MySejahtera app, or can be made directly through the application. Eligible children may also receive the vaccine on a walk-in basis at government health clinics, said MOH. – Bernama
Malaysian Reserve
8 hours ago
- Malaysian Reserve
MOH to launch nationwide free supplementary Measles-Rubella immunisation on Aug 4
THE Health Ministry (MOH) will roll out a free Measles‑Rubella Supplementary Immunisation Activity (MRSIA) nationwide from Aug 4 to Oct 12 for children aged six to 59 months. In a statement today, the ministry said the initiative targets children born between Aug 1, 2020, and Jan 31, 2025, aiming to strengthen the existing immunisation programme by boosting and restoring herd immunity. The programme also supports the national goal of eliminating measles by 2030, with the primary objective of raising immunisation coverage and providing early protection to prevent wider transmission. Measles and rubella are highly contagious diseases that can lead to serious complications such as ear infections, pneumonia, encephalitis, seizures, and could also result in death. MOH said both diseases can be prevented through the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps and rubella). Under the national immunisation programme, the MMR vaccine is administered at nine and 12 months of age, while in Sabah, an additional measles dose is given at six months. 'Overall, Malaysia's immunisation coverage has exceeded 95 percent annually, including in 2024. However, only 62 percent of districts achieved MMR coverage above 95 percent in 2024,' the ministry said. MOH stressed that a minimum target of 95 percent is crucial to build herd immunity and control the spread of the disease. Statistics show measles cases nearly doubled in 2024, with 3,791 cases recorded compared to 2,002 in 2023. 'The number of outbreaks also rose to 231 in 2024, compared with 112 the previous year,' the statement read. Of the reported cases, 44.1 percent involved children under the age of five, while 28.9 percent were non-citizens, of whom 84.3 percent had never been vaccinated. Three deaths were also recorded last year, all involving unvaccinated non‑citizen children aged eight months, three years, and 17 years. The ministry urged parents and guardians to promptly bring eligible children for the free supplementary measles‑rubella (MR) vaccination. Appointments will be sent via the MySejahtera app, or can be made directly through the application. Eligible children may also receive the vaccine on a walk‑in basis at government health clinics, said MOH. — BERNAMA
The Sun
10 hours ago
- The Sun
MOH to launch free Measles-Rubella shots nationwide
PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry (MOH) will roll out a free Measles‑Rubella Supplementary Immunisation Activity (MRSIA) nationwide from Aug 4 to Oct 12 for children aged six to 59 months (below five years old). In a statement today, the ministry said the initiative targets children born between Aug 1, 2020, and Jan 31, 2025, aiming to strengthen the existing immunisation programme by boosting and restoring herd immunity. The programme also supports the national goal of eliminating measles by 2030, with the primary objective of raising immunisation coverage and providing early protection to prevent wider transmission. Measles and rubella are highly contagious diseases that can lead to serious complications such as ear infections, pneumonia, encephalitis, seizures, and could also result in death. MOH said both diseases can be prevented through the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps and rubella). Under the national immunisation programme, the MMR vaccine is administered at nine and 12 months of age, while in Sabah, an additional measles dose is given at six months. 'Overall, Malaysia's immunisation coverage has exceeded 95 percent annually, including in 2024. However, only 62 percent of districts achieved MMR coverage above 95 percent in 2024,' the ministry said. MOH stressed that a minimum target of 95 percent is crucial to build herd immunity and control the spread of the disease. Statistics show measles cases nearly doubled in 2024, with 3,791 cases recorded compared to 2,002 in 2023. 'The number of outbreaks also rose to 231 in 2024, compared with 112 the previous year,' the statement read. Of the reported cases, 44.1 percent involved children under the age of five, while 28.9 percent were non-citizens, of whom 84.3 percent had never been vaccinated. Three deaths were also recorded last year, all involving unvaccinated non‑citizen children aged eight months, three years, and 17 years. The ministry urged parents and guardians to promptly bring eligible children for the free supplementary measles‑rubella (MR) vaccination. Appointments will be sent via the MySejahtera app, or can be made directly through the application. Eligible children may also receive the vaccine on a walk‑in basis at government health clinics, said MOH. - Bernama
