RM40 bln under 13MP signified govt's commitment to strengthening public healthcare
KUCHING (Aug 1): The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) welcomes the RM40 billion allocation for the health sector under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), which it regards as the government's commitment to strengthening the public healthcare system.
Addressing critical shortages in healthcare workers must be prioritised, as this continued to be one of the biggest challenges faced by the public healthcare facilities, said MMA president Datuk Dr Kalwinder Singh Khaira in a statement in response to the tabling of the 13MP by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday.
'We welcome among the 13MP initiatives, plans for a national framework for development in the health sector to address human resource needs.
'We hope that this will encompass all healthcare professions in the healthcare ecosystem,' he said.
The MMA also noted the government's plans to upgrade over 1,700 dilapidated public health clinics and build more healthcare facilities across the country.
'These are timely and necessary steps, but there must be clear timelines for the implementation of each initiative to ensure accountability.
'Planning of human resources must also follow for any new facilities being planned.'
Dr Kalwinder also said the MMA strongly supported the move to strengthen digitalisation, including improvements in health record management and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance healthcare delivery.
'These efforts are crucial to improving continuity of care and enabling data-driven health planning.
The expansion of pro-health taxes to include tobacco, vaping and alcohol, too, was a step in the right direction in curbing the rise in non-communicable diseases (NCDs), said Dr Kalwinder.
'However, MMA maintains its firm position that a total ban on vaping and vaping products is necessary to protect public health, especially the health of our youths.' 13MP Dr Kalwinder Singh mma
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