KUALA LUMPUR – The federal government estimates that it will cost RM3 billion to obtain Covid-19 vaccines for the country.
During the tabling of Budget 2021, Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said Putrajaya is committed to obtaining Covid-19 vaccines, including participating in the Covid-19 Vaccine Global Access.
“The war is not over until and unless an affordable and accessible vaccine is available.”
Encouraging people to get vaccinated, he said, the government has agreed to expand the scope of tax relief for medical treatment expenses, such as those for pneumococcal, influenza and Covid-19.
This tax relief of up to RM1,000 is applicable to vaccination expenses for individuals, spouses and children.
Tengku Zafrul said the government will increase the tax relief on personal medical care expenses for individuals, their spouses and children with serious illnesses to RM8,000 from RM6,000 this year.
The relief for full health examination expenses, he said, will be increased from RM500 to RM1,000.
Another tax deductible for the special needs and care of parents will be increased from RM5,000 to RM8,000.
Throughout the pandemic, said Tengku Zafrul, the government has received feedback that mental health is a serious issue.
He said the Health Ministry’s psychosocial support hotline received 35,000 calls between March and October, involving issues related to stress, anxiety and depression.
Given this, he proposed a RM24 million allocation for mental health programmes; violence and injury prevention; and, to curb substance abuse.
As of October 31, said Tengku Zafrul, the national health insurance scheme mySalam has paid out claims amounting to RM64 million to 56,000 patients for hospitalisation and critical illnesses. In addition, 19,000 individuals received compensation, amounting to RM11 million, due to Covid-19.
“To improve this programme, the government will expand mySalam coverage (to include) medical devices, such as stents for the heart or prosthetics.”
For the B40 group, the government plans to expand social protection through its Tenang Voucher Protection Initiative.
Tengku Zafrul said all recipients of the aid will be given RM50 each as financial assistance to buy Tenang Protection, including takaful life and accident coverage.
At the same time, he said, the government will extend the duty stamp exemption on all Tenang Protection products, with contributions not exceeding RM100 for a period of five years until the 2025 financial year.
Furthermore, the government will implement the pneumococcal immunisation programme for children with a RM90 million allocation that will benefit 500,000 kids.
He said RM6 million will be allocated to obtain drugs for various types of rheumatological diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Finally, Putrajaya has a planned RM25 million allocation for peritoneal dialysis at home, which aims to improve the quality of treatment for kidney patients, as well as reduce the waiting time and congestion in hospitals. – The Vibes, November 6, 2020
