Three Cabinet Committees under MoH merged to create one on National Health

THREE Cabinet committees under the Ministry of Health (MOH) have now been merged into a single entity known as the Cabinet Committee on National Health, reported Bernama.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said that the decision regarding the restructuring of the three Cabinet committees was made during the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Dengue, which he chaired today.

The three Cabinet committees involved are the Cabinet Committee on Dengue, the Cabinet Committee on Agenda Nasional Malaysia Sihat (ANMS), and the Special Cabinet Committee to Combat Double Burden of Malnutrition Among Children.

“These committees will now be known as the Cabinet Committee on National Health, and its meetings will be held three times a year,” he said in a statement today.

On today’s meeting, Ahmad Zahid said that the MOH has recorded 122,423 cases of dengue fever and 117 deaths due to dengue in 2024, which is a mere 0.6 per cent drop in the number of cases but a 17 per cent increase in the death toll as compared to 2023.

“The number of cases reported at the beginning of 2024 exceeded 3,000 cases per week. However, there has been positive progress, with a downward trend in cases starting from Epidemiological Week 29 (July 20, 2024).

“Currently, the weekly average has significantly decreased to around 1,200 to 1,500 cases per week, which is below the five-year median level,” he said.

As of Epidemiological Week 4 (Jan 25, 2025), Ahmad Zahid said that a cumulative total of 5,537 dengue cases and three deaths had been recorded, as compared to 14,458 cases and nine deaths during the same period in 2024.

“This drop is the result of integrated efforts from various parties, including ministries, departments, agencies, the private sector, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and the community, who have worked together to ensure the environment remains free of Aedes mosquito breeding sites,” he said.

To empower dengue prevention and control measures, Ahmad Zahid said all ministries, departments, and agencies must intensify their initiatives and create new ones through a whole-of-nation approach.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid said the meeting also decided that strategic partnerships involving the state government, public and private sectors, as well as the NGOs, should be fully strengthened to support MyCHAMPION COMBI volunteers in carrying out dengue prevention and control activities, particularly in terms of financial resources, human capital, and related equipment.

“Additionally, the meeting recommended continuing the operation of the Aedes mosquito Wolbachia release programme, with the addition of 10 new localities each year and expanding it to other states.

“Currently, only eight states have implemented this programme, namely Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, Penang, Kelantan, Melaka, Johor, Pahang, and Negeri Sembilan,” he said.