KUALA LUMPUR – The severe lack of federal allocation for the Health Ministry is one of the main components of the health white paper currently being prepared and expected to be tabled at Parliament later this year.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin told the Dewan Rakyat that given Malaysia is an upper middle-income nation, the annual investment for its public health system is well below optimum.
“In fact, I can say that there is a chronic underinvestment in our health system,” he said, in reply to Wong Hon Wai (Bukit Bendera-PH) during Question Time today.
Wong had asked if the white paper would address the problem of underinvestment, noting long-standing issues that were a result of several factors, including contract workers and hospital facilities.
Acknowledging the issue, Khairy noted that a 2018 auditor-general’s report had even highlighted that health services within the emergency and trauma departments were not up to standard due to a lack of staff, overcrowding, and underfunding.
He went on to say that these weaknesses were not exclusive to only this particular department, but are reflective of all public health facilities, including clinics and hospitals.
The minister also pointed out the allocated health budget stood at 2.58% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2020, well below other upper middle-income nations’ budget of at least 4% of GDP.
“The question of funding and allocation will be a very important component to be discussed, decided, and tabled in the white paper," he said.
According to Khairy, the document is expected for completion and tabled in Parliament during the November sitting.
Among other things, he said the white paper aims to strengthen the health system as a whole to ensure services are more equitable, of high quality, accessible, and affordable in the long term.
“This paper is an official government document that I hope will get bipartisan support, and which will highlight the current status, gaps, and challenges faced.
“It will propose solutions in phases, from the aspect of service delivery reforms, funding, and governance that will cover a period of 15 years."
Asked by Steven Choong (Tebrau-PBM) on the guarantee that the white paper will be implemented even if there is a change in minister or government, Khairy said it is his aim to make the document future-proof.
He said this is why he suggested the paper be tabled in Parliament to obtain bipartisan support and consensus, adding that a proposal will also be made to table it to the special select committee. – The Vibes, March 15, 2022
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