KJ acknowledges ‘chronic under-investment’ in public healthcare

 

PARLIAMENT | Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has acknowledged that there is “chronic under-investment” in the public healthcare system.

He said that most other middle-income countries similar to Malaysia spend at least 4 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) on their public healthcare system, whereas Malaysia spent only 2.58 percent of the GDP in 2020.

“You are right in your view that the question of funding is an important issue for the public healthcare system and can I say here that Malaysia, as a middle-income country, has allocated funding that is below the optimum level every year.

“In fact, I can say that there is chronic under-investment in the nation’s public healthcare system,” Khairy said during minister’s question time in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He was responding to Wong Hon Wai (Pakatan Harapan-Bukit Bendera) who had asked whether the white paper being prepared for the reformation of the health system will include a discussion on increasing its funding.

Not enough funds

Khairy said the auditor-general’s report from 2018 cited a lack of staff, overcrowding of patients, lack of funds and equipment at the emergency departments of government hospitals.

“This is not isolated to just the Emergency Department, this is reflective of the whole government’s healthcare facilities.

“You are right that the funding is not enough… so the question of funding and allocation for the public healthcare system will become something very important to be discussed, decided and tabled in the white paper,” the minister added.

The white paper is expected to be tabled in Parliament in November, he said.

Khairy first mooted a white paper for healthcare reforms in January, saying that he wanted it to be “future-proof” so that the reforms can continue regardless of who is in power. - Mkini